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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24844432">The Next Generation</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheShaddowedSnow/pseuds/TheShaddowedSnow'>TheShaddowedSnow</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Warriors Rewritten [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Warriors - Erin Hunter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Rewrite, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Crowtail is Crowfeather, Multi, Non-Canon Relationship, Non-Canonical Character Death, Trans Female Character, Travel, canon ships not tagged, new names for cats, slightly altered family trees, slightly modified clan teritories</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 06:15:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>26,263</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24844432</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheShaddowedSnow/pseuds/TheShaddowedSnow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Several Moons have passed and the clans have lived in peace. However, Twolegs have moved into the clan's territory, and it's up to a band of cats to save their clanmates.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cinderpelt/Dustpelt (Warriors), Crowfeather/Squirrelflight (Warriors), Feathertail/Snowdrift, Sorreltail/Brickfur</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Warriors Rewritten [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1364494</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Are we sure about our selections?” A blue-gray she-cat asked three other cats that had gathered in a starry field of wildflowers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We are, Bluestar,” a reddish-brown tom purred, nuzzling her gently. “Who shall go first?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will,” a small ginger tabby spoke up. “I have selected Nightcoud and Crowpaw!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“An apprentice, Gorsespirit?” a dark ginger tom asked, shocked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Apprentices can surprise you, Raggedstar for example, I have selected Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw,” Bluestar spoke up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve selected Mistyfoot and Tadpoletail,” Oakheart spoke up. “I know the journey will be difficult, but we need a future leader who understands that unity between the clans is key.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve selected Tawnypelt and Rowanclaw, so it works out you've selected Brambleclaw,” Raggedtsar mused. “Both have grown into fine warriors for their clans in their own rights.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rowanclaw is an interesting choice, however,” Bluestar said. “Though I won’t bother asking about Nightcloud and Cropaw, we all know why it’s vital that they and Squirrelpaw go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As you said, we need future leaders who know the importance of keeping unity between eh clans, and I believe Rowanclaw will be a great leader of ShadowClan one day, if she can learn some humility and respect for others,” Raggedstar explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’ll be a long and hard journey, and I fear we all know one won’t make it,” Oakheart sighed. The others nodded solemnly and went to talk to the cats in which they'd chosen.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>ThunderClan</strong>
</p><p><em>Leader:</em> Flamestar- heavily scarred pale ginger tabby she-cat with white chest and paws</p><p><em>Deputy: </em>Thistleheart- brown tabby tom with white chest, paws and a white right foreleg</p><p><em>Medicine Cat: </em>Fireglow- handsome ginger tom</p><p><em>Medicine Cat Apprentice: </em>Cloudfeather- long-haired white tom</p><p>
  <em>Warriors:</em>
</p><p>Longtail- pale tabby tom with dark black stripes, blind due to injury</p><p>Mousefur- small dusky brown she-cat<br/>
apprentice, Spiderpaw</p><p>Ravenfeather- small, skinny black tom with a tiny dash on his chest and a white-tipped tail</p><p>Barley- black and white tom<br/>
apprentice, Sorrelpaw</p><p>Brackennose- golden-brown tabby tom</p><p>Sandstorm- pale ginger she-cat</p><p>Dustpelt- dark brown tabby tom</p><p>Brighteye- she-cat, white with ginger splotches<br/>
apprentice, Brickpaw</p><p>Thornclaw- golden brown tom</p><p>Silverstream- a pretty slender silver tabby<br/>
apprentice, Whitepaw</p><p>Ferncloud-pale gray with darker flecks she-cat, pale green eyes<br/>
apprentice, Shrewpaw</p><p>Ashfur-pale gray with darker flecks tom, dark blue eyes</p><p>Brambleclaw- dark brown tabby tom with patches of burn scars, amber eyes<br/>
apprentice, Squirrelpaw</p><p>Snowdrift- pure white tom, deaf</p><p>Stormcloud- dark gray tom</p><p>Scourge- small black tom with a white front paw</p><p>Bone- burley black and white tom</p><p>
  <em>Apprentices:</em>
</p><p>Sorrelpaw- calico she-cat with amber eyes</p><p>Squirrelpaw- short-legged dark ginger she-cat with green eyes</p><p>Spiderpaw- long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes</p><p>Shrewpaw- small dark brown tom with amber eyes</p><p>Whitepaw- white she-cat with green eyes</p><p>Brickpaw- dark ginger she-cat</p><p>
  <em>Queens:</em>
</p><p>Cinderleg- dark gray she-cat</p><p>Feathertail- soft-furred silver tabby she-cat with a plumy tail.</p><p>
  <em>Elders:</em>
</p><p>Dappletail- once pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with a lovely dapple coat, oldest cat in ThunderCLan</p><p>Brokentail—long-haired dark brown tabby; blind; formerly ShadowClan leader.</p><p>Speckledtail- pale tabby, the oldest nursery queen</p><p>Frostfur- beautiful white coat and blue eyes</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>ShadowClan</strong>
</p><p><em>Leader: </em>Blackfoot—large white tom with huge jet-black paws</p><p><em>Deputy: </em>Russetfur-dark ginger she-cat, formerly a rogue cat</p><p><em>Medicine Cat: </em>Littlecloud- very small tabby tom</p><p>
  <em>Warriors:</em>
</p><p>Oakfur-small brown tom<br/>
apprentice, Smokepaw</p><p>Tawnypelt-tortoiseshell she-cat, green eyes</p><p>Boulder-silver tabby tom, formerly a rogue cat</p><p>Cedarheart- dark gray tom</p><p>Rowanclaw- ginger she-cat<br/>
apprentice, Talonpaw</p><p>Tallpoppy- long-legged light brown tabby she-cat</p><p>
  <em>Elders:</em>
</p><p>Runningnose- small gray and white tom, formerly a medicine cat<em><br/>
</em></p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Windclan</strong>
</p><p><em>Leader: </em>Tallstar- a black-and-white tom with a very long tail</p><p><em>Deputy: </em>Deadfoot- a black tom with a twisted paw</p><p><em>Medicine Cat: </em>Barkface-a short-tailed brown tom</p><p><em>Medicine Cat Apprentice: </em>Leafpaw-light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes and white paws</p><p>
  <em>Warriors:</em>
</p><p>Mudclaw- a mottled dark brown tom<br/>
apprentice, Crowpaw (dark black tom)</p><p>Webfoot- dark gray tabby tom</p><p>Onewhisker- brown tabby tom</p><p>Nightcloud- black she-cat with dark gray patches</p><p>Runnigbrook- light gray tabby she-cat</p><p>Whitetail- small white she-cat</p><p>
  <em>Elders:</em>
</p><p>Morningflower- tortoiseshell queen</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>RiverClan</strong>
</p><p><em>Leader: </em>Leopardfur- unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat</p><p><em>Deputy: </em>Mistyfoot- dark gray she-cat with blue eyes</p><p><em>Medicine Cat: </em>Mudfur- long-haired light brown tom</p><p><em>Medicine Cat Apprentice: </em>Mothwing- cream she-cat with a pale ginger lynx point pattern</p><p>
  <em>Warriors:</em>
</p><p>Blackclaw- smokey black tom</p><p>Tadpoletail- white tom with silver lynx point pattern</p><p>Hawkfrowst- brown tom with black lynx point pattern</p><p>Heavystep-thickset tabby tom</p><p>Sasha-sleek-furred, tawny-colored she-cat with blue eyes and a dark tail and ears</p><p>
  <em>Queens:</em>
</p><p>Dawnflower- pale gray she-cat</p><p>
  <em>Elders:</em>
</p><p>Shadepelt- very dark gray she-cat</p><p>Loudbelly- dark brown tom</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Cats outside the clans</strong>
</p><p>Purdy-elderly tabby tom that lives in woods near the sea </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Book 1 Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Squirrelpaw blinked as she opened her green eyes, shaking her head as she darted out of the apprentice’s den. Brambleclaw left the warrior’s den at the same time, and the dark-ginger she-cat scuttered over to her mentor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Brambeclaw did you-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Brambleclaw nodded. “The new moon. We’ll go to Fourtrees, speak about this to no one understood?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not an idiot!” Squirrelpaw huffed. “Besides, this is so cool! StarClan, Brambleclaw!” The scarred dark tabby tom snorted and shook his head. How Thistleheart's daughter could ever act like this, he never knew. However, he kept his mouth shut. This was just how his apprentice was, as much as it annoyed the ThunderClan warrior some days.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know you’re not,” Brambleclaw soothed the feisty apprentice. “That’s not what I meant.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Morning, you two,” Thistleheart padded over, and both mentor and apprentice looked over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hiya, dad!” Squirrelpaw exclaimed, beaming. Thistleheart chuckled, though an unrecognizable emotion filled his eyes at being called ‘dad.’ “What’s up?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Since you two are up early, Brambleclaw, do you mind leading a hunting patrol, bring your apprentice along too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, sir,” the scarred warrior bobbed his head. “I’ll grab Barley and his apprentice as well.” Thistleclaw nodded and went off to get the report from the dawn patrol, who was just returning. Squirrelpaw smiled as her father walked away, and the two went to grab the black and white tom and the older apprentice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once out in the forest, Squirrelpaw and Sorrelpaw went on their own, the tiny ginger apprentice climbing up a nearby tree and looking around while Sorrelpaw took to the bushes. Meanwhile, their mentor watched them from afar, assessing the two quietly. It was a hunting patrol, yes, but all of ThunderClan knew Sorrelpaw was close to getting her name, and only needed her hunting assessed. Both apprentices were skilled at hunting, and even better together, Squirrelpaw corralling her namesake right to Sorrelpaw, who delivered the devastating blow to the prey. The two managed to catch three pieces of and prey together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Leafpaw!” Squirrelpaw squealed and went over to her sister. The tabby she-cat laughed and shook her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Squirrelpaw, we saw each other a quarter moon ago,” the WindClan medicine cat apprentice mused. Leafpaw had been called to WindClan by StarClan the day before she was six moons old to become Barkface’s apprentice. As such, both clans agreed that, as long as they got a day’s warning, the sisters could visit each other for the day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Still! Did you learn more herbs? Has Tallstar’s cough gone away? What about your other clanmates?” Leafpaw chuckled, letting her sister ramble on about random nonsense. Squirrelpaw had always been energetic and upbeat; it was a part of her Leafpaw had always admired.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Loud as ever,” Crowpaw snorted and came over. “Hi, Squirrelpaw.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey Crowpaw,” the female warrior apprentice hummed, not taking offense. Crowpaw was like this with everyone. “How are you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m doing well, you?” Crowpaw asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m doing really well. Actually Brambleclaw-” Squirrelpaw started rambling excitedly as Nightcloud, another WindClan member, came over. She sat next to Crowpaw, looking amused, but didn’t comment as their friend rambled on about her training.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Meanwhile, Brambleclaw smiled as he approached his sister, Tawnypelt, and their friend Tadpoletail. The three RiverClan littermates, Mothwing, Tadpoletail, and Hawkfrost as well as the formerly both ThunderClan littermates, Tawnypelt and Brambleclaw, had become good friends as apprentices, and that continued even after Tawnypelt left for ShadowClan to be judged on her own merit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No Hawkfrost this moon?” he asked the white and silver tom, who shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, he wasn’t selected, how are ThunderClan and SahdowClan? Everything going well?” Tawnypelt shared a glance with her littermate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, we’re fine… Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, with the drought…” Tadpoletail looked away, and Brambleclaw snorted tail lashing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a horrible liar, Tadpoletail…” Brambleclaw paused, assessing the situation. He glanced at Squirrelpaw, knowing she would give him an angry tongue lashing for being a hypocrite but… “Any dreams lately? Of the special kind?” To the scarred warriors; surprise, both Tawnypelt, and Tadpoletail looked surprised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rowanclaw and I were both visited by Raggedstar, talking about the new moon and having to meet with six other cats to listen to Midnight,” Tawnypelt said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Squirrelpaw and I had the same dream, but with Bluestar,” Brambleclaw said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Same with Mistyfoot and I with Oakheart,” Tadpoletail spoke up. “Do you think the last pair of two is from WindClan?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Most likely…” Brambleclaw frowned. “We’ll meet at Fourtrees on the new moon; we’ll hopefully figure the WindClan cats out then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hopefully,” Tawnypelt nodded. “See you two then, and Mistyfoot and Squirrelpaw as well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Looking forward to it, I’ll let her know,” Tadpoletail confirmed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Gathering was quickly called after that, and both groups of cats turned their attention to the leaders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The drought still continues in WindClan, and water is getting harder to find. However, we have a new warrior! Nightcloud has earned her full warrior name!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nightcloud! Nightcloud!” the clans called out, and Squirrelpaw grinned. She had managed to be there for her warrior ceremony and had been practically bursting from keeping it a secret.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“WindClan is welcome to come onto RiverClan territory for water,” Leopardstar stated. “Under observation by one of my warriors, of course.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Leopardstar,” Tallstar said with a  nod.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Beyond that, RiverClan has nothing to report beyond the usual pleasantries,” the oddly spotted she-cat said. Flamestar nodded and stepped up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We have a new warrior in ThunderClan! Sorreltail has also earned her warrior name!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, Sorreltail!” Brickpaw called out. The dark ginger she-cat wasn’t upset that the younger she-cat became a warrior before her, in reality, quite the opposite. The clans all chuckled as they called out the new ThunderClan warrior's name.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“On top of this, Cinderleg has had her second litter, three healthy kits,” Flamestar added, and many of Dustpelt’s friends congratulated him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There is nothing to report in ShadowClan either,” Blackstar said. “However, I will say congratulations to the new warriors and for the new kits in your clan, Flamestar.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Blackstar,” the heavily scarred pale-ginger she-cat nodded to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rumor has it she was born with those scars,” Crowpaw mumbled to Squirrelpaw. "Or they came from all the battles she fought in the forest."<br/></span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We say the same thing about Brambleclaw,” Squirrelpaw mumbled back. “But Fireglow and Cloudfeather said she wasn’t and got her neck scar from the battle with BloodClan.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah?” Crowpaw gasped. “Wow…” The leaders called the gathering to a close and jumped off of the great rock, their classmates gathering around them. Squirrelpaw tensed, looking around. She swore she smelt badger… but that was impossible, right? No other cats but Crowpaw, Nightcloud, Brambleclaw, Mistyfoot, Tadpoletail, Rowanclaw, and Tawnypelt seemed to smell it. Wouldn't everyone have smelt it if it were real? Especially when the group was spread out throughout the clans as they left Fourtrees.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Book 1 Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“You’re late, you two,” Mistyfoot joked as Bramblecaw and Squirrelpaw finally joined them. “Here, I was worried Tadpoletail was mistaken.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, sorry,” Squirrelpaw panted. “For being deaf, Snowdrift seems always to know when someone leaves a den when he’s facing away from them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s always been sharp,” Brambleclaw mused. “Even back when we were apprentices together.” Snowdrift had been made a warrior three moons after Brambleclaw but had trained harder than anyone else to achieve his full name. “No one detected us, however.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good,” Tawnypelt nodded, tail tip twitching. Brambleclaw nodded, feeling the same anxiety rush through him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s kinda weird,” Tadpoletail spoke up. “I mean, it's an equal number of toms and she-cats.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One more she-cat than you think,” Rowanclaw said awkwardly, looking away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right, my bad,” Tadpoletail said. “One more of the she-cats than there are toms.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is,” Nightcloud nodded, looking around the group. “I mean, almost all of us have some sort of relation out of our clans.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean, technically for me, yeah?” the silver and white tom shrugged. “I was a kit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m half ThunderClan, yes, but I grew up in RiverClan and didn’t even know I was half ThunderClan until my mother Bluestar died,” Mistyfoot pointed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Born and raised in ShadowClan,” Rowanclan pointed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You guys are friends with me, and I have Leafpaw and Brambleclaw and Tawnypelt have each other, but really only those two can really claim that and you guys and me if we include close friends.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Didn’t you make sure you could go to my warrior ceremony?” Nightcloud mused. The ThunderClan apprentice ducked her head and looked away. Brambleclaw shook his head in amusement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guessed, I knew you were close to getting it and all and I figured it’d be around there,” Squirrelpaw shrugged, “Kinda like hunting, you gotta take in your environment and predict where your prey will go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You figured that all out?” Tadpoletail asked, shocked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s incredibly good at predicting cats and prey,” Brambleclaw said, pride obvious. “She can even beat some warriors.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s easy,” the ThunderClan apprentice shrugged. “It’s not hard; it’s just patterns.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Amazing,” Crowpaw marveled. “Squirrelpaw you have a gift!”’ The dark ginger she-cat ducked her head and looked away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As it is,” Rowanclaw spoke up. “Midnight is fast approaching.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe we should sleep? Once midnight hits, I mean,” Tadpoletail spoke up. “After all, we gathered here because of a dream, right? So they’ll most likely need us to be asleep to give us more guidance, and just wanted us to meet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That is a good point,” Nightcloud nodded. “Very well, let’s all get comfortable.” Everyone settled down right under the great rock, curling up as close as possible as they got comfortable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Several hours later, Brambleclaw gasped as he woke up, coughing. It was near dawn, and he was vaguely aware of having to get back to camp before the dawn patrol left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did the rest of you get that weird dream too?” Mistyfoot asked. She and Tadpoletail hadn’t woke up coughing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Squirrelpaw wheezed. “... Next gathering, whoever is selected to go, we can talk about what we’ve discovered.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good idea,” Nightcloud said. “And hopefully, those not chosen are in the same clan as those who are.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can meet the night after the full moon if that’s not the case for one of the clans,” Brambleclaw pointed out. With that decided, the cats separated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, early morning training?” Brickpaw laughed, tail swishing. “I hate training in the mornings!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” Brigheye mused as she went over. “Don’t forget we're on the dawn patrol. You two, Thistleheart, was worried sick.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry,” Squirrelpaw mumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was my idea; I thought she could benefit from some early morning training,” Brambleclaw piped up. “We left before anyone woke up, different sounds, and such that early.” Brighteye laughed and nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know he’s just a worrywart when it comes to his daughter. You’re hardly the first cat to take their apprentice out so early.” Brambleclaw chuckled as well and nodded to the apprentice den.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go and rest, then do apprentice duties once you wake up.’ Despite sleeping since midnight, the dream had left Brambleclaw exhausted. Squirrelpaw nodded, yawning and going to the apprentice den, obviously worn out as well. Brambleclaw let out a yawn as well, trudging into the warrior’s den and curling up as Flamestar woke up and stretched. Despite being ThunderClan's leader, the pale ginger tabby preferred to sleep with her warriors and not in the leader’s den. The leader’s den, however, was maintained because it was a good place for her to hold private meetings. Flamestar gave him a sympathetic look and left the den.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Squirrelpaw found Brambleclaw after her duties, where he was talking to Brickpaw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where’d ya hear about the sun-drown-place?” the dark ginger she-cat asked as Squirrelpaw approached. “It’s so far away from here! Twolegs can get there relatively quickly, though, and some of the kittypets in BloodClan’s territory had visited a couple of times.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah?” the short-legged she-cat asked, looking between the older apprentice and Brambleclaw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I know dad and father always asked them a lot of questions about it, though I was only there for some of the meetings. Apparently it’s someplace that smells like ‘salt’ or whatever that is, and twolegs go there to be away from thor home for the day or even longer!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow,” Squirrelpaw gasped. “Why would they want to be away so long?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t know,” Brickpaw shrugged, then turned as Flamestar approached. “Oh, Flamestar! Father is waiting in your den with the twolegplace report. Apparently some twolegs have been checking the woods out more than usual, but he won’t give me any more details.” Brickpaw’s parents were Scourge and Bone, two rogues and former leader and deputy of a rogue group known as BloodClan. However, after ThunderClan not only spared them but also healed a dying Bone, the small family decided to join the clan permanently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Brickpaw. Brambleclaw, Squirrlepaw, I know you had training early this morning, but I need you to form a hunting patrol, just one or two more cats beyond you two is preferable.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course Flamestar,” Brambleclaw nodded. “We’ll grab a couple of cats and head out. Squirrelpaw, have you finished the apprentice duties?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just gotta clean the apprentice den and change our bedding,” she reported.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can do that,” Brickpaw swished her tail. “Go hunting.” the younger, and shooter, she-cat nodded and zipped off. The scarred brown and black tom snorted and shook his head, heading off to grab Ferncloud and Shrewpaw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So Brickpaw said it sounded like some kind of location called sun-drown-place?” Rowanclaw asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It sounds far away too…” Nightcloud frowned. “... Listen to Midnight… Maybe it wasn’t just meeting at the new moon? Maybe Midnight is a cat we have to talk to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It would make sense,” Mistyfoot agreed, going over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can go there by following the setting sun, hence the name,” the ThunderClan warrior stated. The group of cats had lucked out; one cat from each clan was there and could relay information to the other in their clan. Mistyfoot was always going to be there, being RiverClan’s deputy, but all of the others were a bit of a gamble.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then we’ll have to leave…” Nightcloud sighed, and Rowanclaw nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We should go the day before the half-moon, that way we don’t risk running into the medicine cats,” the ShadowClan warrior stated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The most logical solution, I’ll pass on the message to Tadpoletail,” the RiverClan deputy agreed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And the rest of us to our clanmates,” Nightcloud nodded. The group broke apart to talk to others before they seemed suspicious. They couldn't risk any cats realizing they had been spending a lot of time talking and whispering amongst themselves. Brambleclaw, however, felt like he was being watched. Brambleclaw looked around, paranoia spiking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes eventually landed on Leafpaw, the brown tabby having been watching the group closely the entire time.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Book 1 Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Ready everyone?” Mistyfoot asked as the group of cats gathered in fourtrees. Everyone but the WindClan cats were there, who would be waiting for them by WindClan’s border. “We leave tonight, for better or worse.” Squirrelpaw looked around then nodded, determination in her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, let’s go,” she said, tail twitching. “We better hurry too, Scourge likes to hunt at night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“ShadowClan does most of their hunting at night as well,” Rowanclaw added, she glanced at Tawnypelt, who nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s go then,” Tadpoletail said. “No reason to delay.” the group headed towards the missing two cat’s clan territory.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once there, Squirrelpaw froze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Leafpaw? What are you doing here?” the ginger she-cat asked, staring up at her sister. Despite being littermates, Leafpaw was much taller than her short-legged sister, who was a full head shorter than her, maybe slightly more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No one told me,” Leafpaw reassured as she put the traveling herbs down. “Crowpaw and Nightcloud already had theirs. I…. I have a feeling you’ll need these, that you’ll be gone for a while. I don’t know why or where you’re going, but I know you are. Just be safe, okay?” The brown tabby asked. Squirrelpaw smiled and went over, nuzzling her sister.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, Leafpaw, thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Leafpaw,” Mistyfoot murmured. “Will you get in trouble for them missing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” she shook her head. “I think Barkface kind of senses it too, in his own way. It should be fine, and besides the most he’ll punish me is having me help with the normal apprentice duties anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Leafpaw,” Squirrelpaw nuzzled her sister. “For everything. I’m sorry we can't tell you anything, but trust me when I say it’s important.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” Leafpaw mumbled, eyes briefly filled with stars. “Trust me, I know. Go. I gave Nightcloud and Crowpaw a crash-course in herbs. Between the two of them, you should be fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My sister rubbed off on me as well,” Tadpoletail added. “I think we’ll be good on that front. Thank you again for the herbs, Leafpaw.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re just traveling herbs,” she shrugged. “I wish I could sneak you more, but I can’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s more than enough,” Brambleclaw reassured. “Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll be back,” Nightcloud promised. “We’ll be back and have all of this figured out.” Leafpaw nodded, and after making sure everyone ate their herbs, she left for WindClan camp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is it… We’re really doing this,” Tadpoletail took a deep breath. “Alright. Let’s go. Nightcloud, Crowpaw, you’re WindClan cats, what’s the quickest way through WindClan territory?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cutting through the tunnels would be the easiest way,” Crowpaw said reluctantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Those were retired seasons ago!” Nightcloud’s eyes widened. “Before even Tallstar was leader!” The only reason the two WindClan cats knew about them was because Tallstar had insisted every apprentice, including Leafpaw, learned how to navigate the existing ones.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tallstar trusts them enough that we learn how to navigate them,” Crowpaw reminded. “It should be fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tunnels?” Mistyfoot asked, shocked. Crowpaw nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We aren’t allowed to talk about them outside of our clanmates for obvious reasons, but yeah, tunnels. Some of the older warriors said back during a time when WindClan was forced out of the forest, that’s how they escaped.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Still, they are… Dark, and old and…” Nightcloud shrunk away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Never let her hunt in a forest,” Rowanclaw snorted. “Alright, show us to these tunnels then, you two.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I like the moors more,” the black and gray she-cat grumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I like them, they’re nice,” Crowpaw shrugged. “Comfortable.” Nightcloud just shook her head, and they approached a tunnel near the old badger den.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Crowpaw turned to the group. “Stay together, and try to keep sight of Nightcloud and I, we’ll lead you to the tunnel exit that leads to the far side of WindClan territory, if the tunnel collapses, do your best to pull whoever is stuck out as quickly as possible.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right,” Tawnypelt nodded. “Let’s get this part over with.” None of them, besides Crowpaw, seemed eager to be underground. Crowpaw hummed and nodded, and looked to Nightcloud, who shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re better at the tunnels then me; you go first. Besides, we were all chosen, that makes all of us equals.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well said,” Mistyfoot purred. “I may be a clan deputy, but out here, I’m a warrior.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Squirrelpaw may be my apprentice, but right now, she’s a warrior,” Brambleclaw added. Rowanclaw and Tawnypelt just nodded in agreement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing matters out here, be it our clan of origin, relations, or anything else,” Tadpoletail added. “Out here, we’re all warriors, chosen by StarClan for a mysterious purpose.”  They all nodded, and Cropwaw led the way, Nightcloud in the back of the group in case anything happened and everyone else filing in one by one after the WindClan tom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s so dark in here,” Mistyfoot said as they continued. “Also, is it just me, or is the walls getting closer together?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re getting close to a squeeze,” Nightcloud said. “They’re easier for smaller cats, so Brambleclaw might have some trouble.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not any darker than nighttime,” Tawnypelt said. “Once your eyes adjust, you should be fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great…” Brambleclaw grumbled, already struggling somewhat as the walls continued to get tighter and tighter. He now realized why Crowpaw had insisted on Squirrelpaw to go second; she’d have the easiest time out of everyone and still wasn’t struggling, even as the walls continued to get almost impossibly tighter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ve made it to the first squeeze, there are a couple of more after this one,” Crowpaw said. “Breath normally, and move forward almost like you’re stalking prey. Brambleclaw, Nightcloud, and I will help you through as there’s a decent-sized cavern on the other end, which back when we had tunnelers was meant to be a bit of a rest stop.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once everyone was through, Brambleclaw sat down, panting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why do squeezes even exist?” he asked. “I mean, couldn't you guys have just dug the tunnels wider?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tallstar said it was for stability, especially since we’re directly under water right now,” Crowpaw stated. “It kept the tunnels from collapsing under the weight of the territory above.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Plus, with how many tunnels there are,” Nightcloud added, “it would collapse our territory from under us if we didn’t take measures to make sure the tunnels can support the weight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fascinating,” Tawnypelt said, eyes wide in awe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In any case, let’s keep going,” Brambleclaw said, standing up. “The sooner we’re out of these caves, the better.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Agreed,” Nightcloud shuddered. “Same marching order as before?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds good,” Crowpaw nodded. The group continued, everyone but Crowpaw relieved when they were finally out of the caves and at the edge of WindClan territory.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That way leads towards the Moonstone,” Nightcloud gestured to the left. “However, we should go left; the sun sets that way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds good,” Squirrelpaw said and started heading towards the left, only yo pause, ears peaked. “We need to hide. Brambleclaw nodded, ears also perked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Twolegs,” the ThunderClan warrior hissed. “And dogs.” The group rushed towards a nearby small patch of trees and bushes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stay close to the ground,” Tawnypelt murmured to the RiverClan and WindClan cats who, unlike their ThunderClan companions, couldn't climb trees. “Stick to the shadows, stay low in the bushes, even if the dogs scent us, they won’t be able to find us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tadpoletail, since your pelt is lighter, use light to your advantage,” Rowanclaw added, the four hiding in the bushes and undergrowth and around the trees. Squirrelpaw watched the dogs from the hollow she found in the tree, tail twitching in anxiety, and Brambleclaw joined her. The scarred brown tabby continued to glance over to where his sister was hiding, surprised that he was barely able to see her. Still, the dog started coming closer and closer, and the twoleg family was struggling to keep the thing under control.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Squeak!” Squirrelpaw suddenly let out, throwing her voice as she mimicked her namesake. “Squeak squeak!” the dog suddenly turned, barking excitedly and leading the twolegs away from them. The ThunderClan apprentice sighed in relief, her green eyes meeting Brambleclaw’s amber. The warrior smiled and nodded, proud of his apprentice's ingenuity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once they were sure the dog was gone, the group met back on the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whoa, that was amazing! How’d you do that?” Tadpoletail asked excitedly. The two ThunderClan cats glanced at each other, then shrugged. They all agreed that clans didn’t matter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“ThunderClan cats all learn to mimic the sounds of the forest around them,” Squirrelpaw explained. “Ferncloud also taught me how to make it sound like the sound is coming from elsewhere. She’s extremely good at it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, kidding,” Tawnypelt purred. “I’ve kept the skill up while in ShadowClan.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Explains why you’re so good at hunting,” Rowanclaw mused, looking around. “It’s getting late, we have to find shelter, Tawnypeelt, and I can hunt for everyone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We ShadowClan excel at night,” Tawnypelt purred. “In fact, most of the time, we're not even awake during the day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That explains how you guys aren't even a little tired at Gatherings,” Mistyfoot mused. Rowanclaw nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tawnypelt had a hard time adjusting to it,” Rowanclaw purred. Twanypelt huffed and playfully glared at her. “Don’t give me that look, you did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was used to sleeping at night and being awake during the day,” the dilute calico huffed. Brambleclaw chuckled and smiled at his sister, a warmth flooding him that Rowanclaw was treating her just like any other clanmate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let's find a place to break; it’s starting to get late,” Mistyfoot spoke up after a couple of minutes. The group nodded and started looking around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How much further do you think it is?” Squirrelpaw asked one night. They had all been traveling a couple of moons now and were camping in an old badger set they had found.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who knows?” Crowpaw shrugged as he laid down next to her. The ginger she-cat immediately leaned against him. The group, minus the ShadowClan warriors who were out hunting, all glanced at each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Brickpaw is probably a warrior by now,” Brambleclaw mused. “What do you think her warrior name is?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Probably Brickfur or Brickpelt,” Squirrelpaw said. “Maybe, I don’t know I’m not that creative with names.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not looking forward to that,” Mistyfoot groaned. “By StarClan, how do leaders do it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who knows?” Tadpoletail laughed. “I mean, Leopardstar named my brother Hawkfrost.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“True,” Mistyfoot mused. “Frost would have fit you better, all things considered.” The oddly patterned silver tabby nodded and turned as the ShadowClan cats brought back a couple of fish and a rabbit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here you are,” Rowanclaw said as she put down the rabbit. The RiverClan warriors salvated as Tawnypelt placed the fish down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks you two,” Nightcloud purred as she and Brambleclaw started eating one of the fish. Squirrelpaw blinked and left, coming back a couple of minutes later with a couple of mice and gave them to the ShadowClan warrior before going to share the rabbit with Crowpaw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you think will happen?” Tawnypelt asked as they ate. “After we head back?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who knows?” Tadpoletail shrugged. “I’m pretty sure the two apprentices will finally receive their names.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know Tallstar would,” Nightcloud said. “Would Flamestar?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think so,” Brambleclaw said. “I’ll definitely ask her to do so, Squirrelpaw has earned it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Crowpaw as well,” Nightcloud agreed. “Both of them have gone above and beyond what any of us have had to do.” Both apprentices ducked their heads.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just doing what’s required of me,” Crowpaw mumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me too,” Squirrelpaw said. “... Is it bad I’m glad I was chosen?” she asked. “Not because it makes me important. Well, kinda. I think… I was destined to always be Thistleheart's daughter, Leafpaw's sister, Falmestar’s niece. Remembered only for my association with them. I… I don’t want to be forgotten as just another clan member. I’ve always wanted to be something more, do something important, you know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I get it,” Crowpaw admitted. “I thought I’d just be remembered as Wiindstar’s descendant, rather than my own cat.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s why I left ThunderClan,” Tawnypelt added. “If I stayed there, I think I’d just  be remembered as Tigerclaw’s daughter or Moonspirit’s look-alike.” Squirrelpaw nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know what other cats think of me, that I’m just some hyper apprentice. However, I… I don’t know, feel like I have to be? That I need to keep my and everyone’s spirits up and, I don’t know,” she sighed. Brambleclaw sighed and brushed his tail across her shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took several moons, but tired and their pads hurting, they smelt the unfamiliar scent in the air. Squirrelpaw felt her body shake in excitement, and the now-warrior aged she-cat barely kept herself from rushing ahead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“‘Ello, ‘avn’t seen you lot aroun’ ‘ere!” The group turned, tense as a elderly dark brown tabby tom approached them. “Whoa no need ta be so tense! Name’s Purdy who’re y’all?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Crowpaw,” the WindClan cat said calmly, tail swishing at her companions. “This is Mistyfoot, Squirrelpaw, Tadpoletail, Brambleclaw, Rowanclaw, and Tawnypelt.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, slap on some scales and call me a fish! Never heard names like those before! What brings ya around here?” he purred.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re searching for someone called Midnight,” Crowpaw explained. Purdy’s eye showed recognition.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Follow me! It’s great ta meet friends of ‘er. We’re friends too, so that makes us friends, friends of friends and all that. It’s quite a funny story, actually, how we met, I mean.” Purdy continued to ramble on, the group glancing between each other as he brought them to a  badger set.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Midnight! Some cats are ‘ere ta see ya! Didn’t know you had friends besides me!” The group all shrunk away, except for Nightcloud and Rowanclaw, who stood their ground as a rather large badger came out of the den.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m aware of them, come in, quickly,” she said. “Do not worry; I wish no harm onto you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” Rowanclaw mumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on guys,” Nightcloud said, the two she-cats leading the group inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once they all settled inside, Tadpoletail was surprised by how much it smelled and looked like a medicine den, except with a badger scent instead of a cat scent. It was also cozy, with several nests of moss with a large one in the corner that he assumed was Midnight’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your ancestors have talked to mine,” the badger explained. “The forest will be destroyed soon, and you must lead them to a new home.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Mistyfoot demanded, eyes wide. Midnight chuckled and turned to the herbs making up several traveling herbs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They also believe that there should be cats going forward who understand the importance of clan unity. Separate but together, one but four.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Help each other, and support each other, but recognize we’re all separate clans and groups, “Rowanclaw murmured. “Think beyond our own borders.” Midnight nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There are events coming up that the clans will need to face together. You leave tomorrow morning. I will hunt for you, rest.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll help hunt,” Nightcloud spoke up. “Hunting is often more successful in groups.” Midnight paused, then the badger chuckled and nodded. The two left, and the group got to their nest, Crowpaw and Squirrelpaw curling up with each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The journey is almost to its end,” Mistyfoot murmured as she watched them. “I wonder how their relationship will be able to continue once we go back to the clans.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Only StarClan knows,” Brambleclaw said. “But… I can’t break them up.” Tadpoletail and Tawnypelt nodded in agreement, and they fell into silence as they waited for Nightcloud and Midnight to return.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go through the mountains,” Midnight said. “It will be a quicker journey back to your home, and take these herbs; they will give you strength.” It was the next morning, and the group was getting ready to leave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Be careful young’uns,” Purdy spoke up. “Midnight explained ta me why ya had to come all this way and why ya gotta go back. May your ancestors look at ya favorably.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, you two,” Tadpoletail said as he ate his herbs. “For everything.” They nodded, and the traveling cats started to head home.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Author's note</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>So.... Some stuff</p><p>I have decided to change the tribe into something else, I personally hate the tribe and the clan I'm changing it into the cats will actually have a reason to visit again, so fun!</p><p>Happy Reading!</p><p>Snow</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Book 2 Allegiaces</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you Bluegem my discord friend for coming up with Mistbreeze lol</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>The Chosen Cats</strong>
</p><p>Brambleclaw- dark brown tabby tom with patches of burn scars, amber eyes</p><p>Squirrelpaw- short-legged dark ginger she-cat with green eyes</p><p>Tawnypelt-tortoiseshell she-cat, green eyes</p><p>Rowanclaw- ginger she-cat</p><p>Nightcloud- black she-cat with dark gray patches</p><p>Crowpaw- dark black tom</p><p>Mistyfoot- dark gray she-cat with blue eyes</p><p>Tadpoletail- white tom with silver lynx point pattern</p><p>-</p><p>
  <strong>BlizzardClan</strong>
</p><p><b>Leader: </b> Snowstar - pure white she-cat with cloudy blue eyes<br/>
Apprentice, Sunsetpaw</p><p><b>Deputy: </b>Shadewillow - thick-furred white she-cat with black ears, tail, and paws</p><p><b>Medicine Cat: </b>Dustyheart - brown tabby she-cat with a heart on her chest</p><p><b>Medicine Cat Apprentice: </b>Graypaw - gray she-cat with darker gray chest and tail tip with brown eyes</p><p>
  <b>Warriors:</b>
</p><p>Tabbyclaw - white tom with light brown tabby stripes<br/>
Apprentice, Patchpaw</p><p>Longclaw - black and white tabby tom with unusually long sharp claws</p><p>Wintercloud - pale gray and white she-cat with yellow eyes</p><p>Swiftwing - fluffy white and ginger smudged she-cat</p><p>
  <b>Scouts:</b>
</p><p>Hollyfoot - black she-cat with a red right forepaw</p><p>Strikefoot - red tom with white paws<br/>
Apprentice, Morningpaw</p><p>
  <b>Scribes:</b>
</p><p>Speckledflame - aging white she-cat with flame-ginger speckles and blind gray eyes</p><p>Mistbreeze - pale silver-blue she-cat</p><p>
  <b>Apprentices:</b>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <b>Warrior</b> </span>
</p><p>Patchpaw - black and white smudged cat</p><p>Sunsetpaw - pale ginger tom with darker ginger mask, ears, legs, and tail</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <b>Scout</b> </span>
</p><p>Morningpaw - bulky pale ginger she-cat with darker ginger tabby striped legs and tail</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <b>Scribe</b> </span>
</p><p>Darkpaw - black tom with amber eyes</p><p>
  <b>Queens:</b>
</p><p>Warmfur - pale ginger she-cat with darker ginger mask, legs, ears, and tail with blue eyes</p><p>
  <b>Elders:</b>
</p><p>Nightwatcher - skinny black tom with piercing green eyes</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The new version is starting to be written, and the first chapter of it is up.</p><p>If you did not screenshot the old version with the tribe, I am (not) sorry to inform you it is now permanently gone</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Book 2 Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Are we sure this way is quicker?” Squirrelpaw huffed as she struggled to keep up with her travel mates. They had been traveling up the mountain for several hours by that point, and it was getting harder and harder for the dark ginger she-cat to keep up. “Because I don’t feel like it is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did offer to carry you,” Brambleclaw pointed out. Despite the several moon journey, the short-legged she-cat was still the same size she had been when they left, much to said cat’s chagrin. The ThunderClan she-cat just huffed and jumped over a gap, only to have overestimated it, and started skidding off the side of a boulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whoa!” Tadpoletail quickly grabbed Squirrelpaw by the neck before she could go over the edge and placed her down next to him. “You okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, thanks,” she said, heart pounding. “I overdid that jump.” The white and silver tom nodded and glanced at the gap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was bigger than the other gaps; I don’t blame ya,” he said. She nodded, and Brambleclaw frowned as he looked ahead. Ahead of them was a rather large waterfall and seemingly nowhere else to go. The stream that fed into it was also too fast for any of them to swim through, even their RiverClan companions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does this mean we have to turn around?” Rowanclaw frowned, eyeing the water.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, there has to be some way to cross,” Tadpoletail said, looking determined as she inspected the edge of the water and experimentally tossed a pebble in. “It’ll submerge Squirrelpaw fully and only mostly for the rest of us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not a strong swimmer,” the dark ginger she-cat reminded, licking her white paw to groom her ear and face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who goes there?” The clan cats all turned at the unfamiliar voice, only to see a group of cats approaching them. They all tensed, Brambleclaw’s long claws digging into the stone beneath him. “What are you doing here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re just traveling through. We don’t mean to cause trouble,” Crowpaw said, eyeing the new cats. Two she-cats and a tom, but they looked well fed and pretty muscular.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I see….” The black she-cat observed each of them. “Come with us,” she said finally. “I”m Hollyfoot; this is Strikefoot and his apprentice, Morningpaw.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Crowpaw, and this is Squirrelpaw, Brambleclaw, Mistyfoot, Nightcloud, Tawnypelt, Rowanclaw, and Tadpoltail.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Clan names?” Stirkefoot inquired.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We were sent on a mission from our ancestors,” Crowpaw explained. The red tom nodded and turned to the pale ginger she-cat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Run to camp, tell Snowstar we have guests.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, sir!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are those the cats my sister said they found?” A pale ginger tom with darker ginger markings similar to Tadpoltail’s markings said once the cats arrived. “They look so cool!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hush, Sunsetpaw,” a pure white she-cat chastised the apprentice gently. She then turned to the journeying cats and Hollyfoot and Strikefoot. “Welcome to BlizzardClan; I’m Snowstar.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Squirrelpaw looked around the cave curiously as Crowpaw introduced them. It seemed the stream entered the cave through some cave entrance somewhere and out of an opening in the roof of the main caverns, making a small pool of water near one of the many openings around the main cavern. Several tunnels and openings were covered in vines and moss, and some had weird logs set on fire stuck into the walls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come this way.” Snowstar guided them over to a ledge a little ways off the ground and to the right of the cave nearest to the small waterfall. Once everyone had hopped onto the ledge and followed Snowstar inside the cave, they all quickly got settled. “We don’t have many non-hostile visitors around here,’ the while she-cat said. “So forgive me for this, but I have several questions, and I do want them answered.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s quite alright,” Crowpaw reassured. “We’re happy to answer them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where are you from?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re from a forest quite a ways from here,” Brambbleclaw explained. “Where four clans live alongside each other. Squirrelpaw and I are from ThunderClan, Crowpaw and Nightcloud are from WindClan, Tawnypelt and Rowanclaw are from ShadowClan, and Mistyfoot and Tadpoltail are from RiverClan. StarClan, our ancestors, sent us on a mission.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I see….” Snowstar nodded, looking to be in deep thought. “Your names… What are your abilities?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Abilities?” Squirrelpaw blinked. The BlizzardClan leader nodded. “What do you mean?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, SpiritClan gives all cats abilities,” Snowstar said. “For example, I can cause snowstorms, Hollyfoot and Strikefoot are incredibly fast, my son Tabbyclaw is an amazing taction, and my daughter Graypaw can heal almost any injury.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“StarClan doesn’t grant us abilities,” Squirelpaw said, blinking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really?” Snowstar asked, ears perked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really,” Crowpaw said. “It’s unheard of where we’re from.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The BlizzardClan leader looked thoughtful as the silence lengthened. Squirrelpaw felt a tinge of anxiety as the silence continued. She couldn't gauge what the she-cat was thinking, and the group was at a distinct disadvantage should anything happen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, I suppose this discussion is over for now. I know you probably want to get home, but I urge you to stay at least for the night," Snowstar finally said. "The mountains are dangerous when you don't know how to navigate them. Plus with, well…." The white she-cat trailed off, then shook her head and smiled. "Nevermind that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Squirrelpaw glanced at the other journeying cats uncertainly, but none of them particularly wanted to push the issue. Instead, they left the small den and jumped down to the main clearing for the camp. Whatever it was that Snowstar decided not to bring up in the end, it wasn't any of their business.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ginger she-cat watched Snowstar go over to a tabby that looked a lot like Brambleclaw and chat before both came over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hello, I'm Dustyheart, the medicine cat," the tabby she-cat smiled. She had an odd heart pattern on her chest and yellow eyes but otherwise looked like a female Brambleclaw. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Come, you can stay with Graypaw and I for now."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Brambleclaw said with a  smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The group followed the tabby she-cat into the cave nearest to the waterfall. Heading in, they went down a short tunnel until they entered a fairly large cavern filled with several nests, another, a smaller tunnel leading somewhere else, and nooks and crannies filled with several different herbs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dustyhe-oh, hello,” a gray she-cat blinked, her brown eyes filled with surprise. Squirrelpaw suspected she was close to the end of her training just by her height. “I’m Graypaw, the BlizzardClan medicine cat. Are you guests?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They are,” Dustyheart purred. “Can you go grab a couple of pieces of prey? I believe your brother Tabbyclaw and his apprentice brought in several bats.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, Dustyheart. It’s a pleasure to meet you guys!” The gray she-cat quickly left to grab the prey.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The journeying cats glanced at each other but were too tired to really think about what bats could be. The group of cats just chose nests, Crowpaw and Squirrelpaw curling up together to get some rest.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Book 2 Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What are you doing?” Tadpoletail asked curiously as he left the medicine den early the next day. The sun was barely up, and his companions were asleep, but it didn’t bother Tadpoltail. Currently, he was watching Sunsetpaw stare into the small spring. “You won’t catch any fish in there.”</p><p>The small tom jumped and turned, eyes wide. “Oh, um, no, I’m practicing my powers…”</p><p>“What are they?” Tadpoletail asked curiously, going and sitting next to the smaller tom. Sunsetpaw couldn't be much older than six or seven moons if the RiverClan warrior had to guess. Sunsetpaw looked hesitant to tell the white and silver warrior but eventually gestured upwards.</p><p>“I can see in the dark and shadows.”</p><p>“So you’re staring at water?” Tadpoletail asked, his confusion filling him quickly. If his power was seeing in the dark, why stare at water? “That can’t help.”</p><p>“Well… Um….” Sunsetpaw’s tail swished, and the apprentice shifted on his paws. “Snowstar said apprentices aren’t allowed out of the main camp on their own for now. We uh… It’s kinda dangerous.”</p><p>“Dangerous?” Tadpoltail frowned in concern. Susnetpaw looked away from the spring, as well as Tadpoltail, and nodded.</p><p>“Y-yeah… There's this big-um, nevermind!” he said quickly. “Sorry, I don’t mean to bother you with this!” Tadpoltail blinked, ears perked. </p><p>The RiverClan warrior had his suspicions something was going on, but he also knew confronting the cats here wouldn't be a wise idea. Best not to push it and keep his eyes and ears sharp to learn all he could.</p><p>“Well, that’s fair enough, I suppose,” Tadpoltail mused. “Do you know any safe places where there's fish-filled water? I’d feel bad, taking your prey.” The prey pile was, currently, able to support a clan, but no one extra. Though there were so few cats in BlizzardCLan, based mainly on the fact there were so few fresh scents in the main camp, and it didn’t surprise the silver and white RiverClan warrior.</p><p>“You’re gonna hunt already?” Sunsetpaw asked, surprised and ears perking.</p><p>“The early fisher gets the prey,” Tadpoltail shrugged his shoulders and smiled. “The others deserve their rest, though, so don’t disturb them, alright?” Sunsetpaw nodded and rushed off to get a BlizzardClan warrior to guide the two cats.</p><p>-</p><p>“Oh, you’re awake,” Tadpoltail said, dropping the several fish he had managed to get with Sunsetpaw and Wintercloud’s help. “There should be enough for all of us, plus some extra.”</p><p>“Thank you, Tadpoltail,” Squirrelpaw yawned as she and the other traveling cats joined the RiverClan warrior at the prey pile. “You could have woken me up, ya know.”</p><p>“Y’all deserved sleep,” Tadpoltail chuckled. “Eat up. It was no trouble; Sunsettpaw and Wintercloud were both a great help.”</p><p>“I’m glad to hear my clanmates were able to impress you,” a smooth voice mused. The journeying cats turned from the fish they had chosen to look at the rather large, fluffy she-cat with black ears, tails, and paws. Her amber eyes gazed over the cats. “I’m Shadewillow, the deputy. It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”</p><p>“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Crowpaw said, nodding from his palace next to Nightcloud. “I assume Snowstar told you our names?”</p><p>“She and my former apprentice,” Shdewillow mused. “Mind if I join you?”</p><p>“Not at all,” the black tom reassured. “Tadpoltail and your cats had a great hunting session today.” The Blizzardclan deputy nodded and sat down with them, choosing one of the two fish the journeying cats chase not to share amongst themselves. </p><p>“I’m sorry to report, you’ll have to wait a little bit today to leave,” Shadewillow said.“Tabbyclaw and Longclaw are checking on the more direct tunnels to get you out of our territory and down the mountain as quickly as possible, and Hollyfoot is helping aboveground.”</p><p>“Is life in the mountains really that dangerous?” Squirrelpaw gasped, ears going back.</p><p>Noticing the BlizzardClan’s deputy’s reluctance, Tadpoletail quickly spoke up. “I’m sure the mountains are a good enough home when you’re hushed to them, but none of us are. I’m sure they don’t want us getting hurt on our way back home.”</p><p>“That makes sense,” the ginger apprentice said, focusing back on her food again. Shadewillow gave Tadpoletail a subtle nod in thanks. He nodded back and turned to his food. Whatever it was that was bothering them, he was certain they could handle. They were a clan, too, after all, and they had powers like weather manipulation and seeing in the dark.</p><p>- </p><p>“Are you sure? They’ll have to move quickly, and the extra help would be nice, Snowstar.” </p><p>Tadpoltail’s ears perked as they were led past an offshoot of the tunnel Swiftwing, another warrior, was leading them through. He paused, sticking close to the wall and straining his ears to listen in.</p><p>“Speckledflame….” the was a brief pause. “I know you’re worried since we’ve lost a lot of cats, but even with the prophecy, BlizzardClan must survive on their own.”</p><p>“That’s what our ancestors thought too, and now all we have is what CaveClan had written down,” Speckledflame hissed. “Two of them even have silver on them! You can’t ask a grieving she-cat to sacrifice herself either!”</p><p>“I’m not asking anyone to sacrifice themselves!” Snowstar hissed back. There was a long stretch of silence. “I'm sorry, Speckledflame I just… We’ve lost so much, and they themselves have an important task and journey they must complete. The mountain lion is BlizzardClan’s problem, not some problems of clans SpiritClan only knows how far they are.”</p><p>Tadpoltail frowned, then turned to quickly catch up with his friends and Swiftwing. Mountain lion? What could that possibly be? It was clearly fearsome if the way Snowstar and whoever Speckledflame was were talking about it held any weight.</p><p>They’d have to be extremely careful.</p><p>-</p><p>Tadpoltail froze as they approached the exit of the cave, only to hear a rather loud snarl.</p><p>“It wasn’t supposed to be here!” Swiftwing hissed. “We have to turn back and warn the clan, now!”</p><p>“What is that?” Mistyfoot asked as the group of cats raced down the tunnel they had just come from.</p><p>“A mountain lion,” Swiftwing explained. “Our scribes managed to find some text on it when it first appeared. It’s been picking us off one by one.”</p><p>“I would explain how small your clan is,” Bramblestar admitted.</p><p>Tadpoltail stayed silent, thinking it over as they got to the main camp, and Swiftwing rushed off to tell Snowstar. It sounded huge, and obviously, the cats here were trying their best to get rid of it and not burden their guests with the problem. Still… It didn’t look like it was something BlizzardClan was equipped to deal with…</p><p>“We should help them,” Tadpoltail said, turning to his companions and friends. “We can't leave while it’s here, it’s too dangerous, and I can't in good conscience leave these cats to continue to die one by one to that thing.”</p><p>“I can't either,” Rowanclaw admitted. “But what can we do? I mean, if a whole clan can’t stand up to it…”</p><p>“We have to talk to Snowstar, work something out,” Brambeclaw said, tail swishing as he looked over the journeying cats. “There has to be something we can do.”</p><p>“At the very least, more cats to help can’t be a bad thing,” Mistyfoot said. “And we owe them for allowing us to stay here.”</p><p>With a plan set, the journeying cats went to follow Swiftwing to talk to Snowstar.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Book 2 Chapter3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“I suppose we were never going to keep you in the dark forever,” Snowstar sighed as the journeying cat entered her den. “Even we cannot escape the fate SpiritClan had put out before us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fate?” Squirrelpaw asked curiously. Snowstar just gave a sad smile and shook her head, gesturing for the cats to sit with her, Hollyfoot, Swiftwing, and Shadewillow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You wanted to see me?” Tabbyclaw asked as he entered, Sunsetpaw darting out and away from the den once the white and brown tom entered his mother’s den. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, it’s time to figure out how to get rid of the mountain lion,” Snowstar said, determination swimming in her clouded blue eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nightcloud looked at the cats around her as they debated, wondering if she should bring up her own ideas. The black and gray she-cat rarely spoke of her opinions aloud, content to go along with others. However….</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think we need to lure it somewhere,” she suddenly spoke up, yellow eyes shifting to each cat within the den. “Is there anywhere in BlizzardClan territory that it could be killed easier?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You mean like fall to its death?” Swiftwing asked, and Nightcloud nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can’t face it head-on, so we have to play this a bit dirty,” she informed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ma always talked about dogs that had attacked the territory once, and they did something like that, led them over a cliffside,” Squirelpaw piped up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was a kit when that happened,” Bramblepaw mused. “They had different cats do different stretches of the luring and running, so to reduce risk of anyone cat getting too tired and caught. Is that what you’re suggesting, Nightcloud?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, exactly!” The WindClan warrior said, sitting up straighter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The pointed cavern could work,” Tabbyclaw said, glancing at his fellow BlizzardClan cats. “But it’s extremely risky, especially since a cat would have to lead it in there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I'll be the final cat,” Tadpoltail volunteered. “I’m a bit more agile than your average RiverClan cat, and we’ll need the WindClan cats before the final cat, possibly one of the first cats.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll go first,” Nightcloud offered. “It’s my idea, after all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll go after Nightcloud,” Hollyfoot offered. “I’m the fastest cat in BlizzardClan, after all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I'll go right before Tadpoltail,” Squirrelpaw piped up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like StarClan, you will,” Brambleclaw said, giving his apprentice a very unamused look. “You’re staying out of this unless absolutely necessary.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s right, Squirrelpaw,” Tabbyclaw said, cutting the small ginger she-cat off. “With how small your legs are, you’d be more liability in this plan. Besides, I’ll take that position.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I’ll go before Tabbyclaw; that should be enough cats,” Swiftwing stated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you’re sure….” Squirelpaw said reluctantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll be fine, Squirrelpaw,” Tadpoltail reassured. “You’ll see.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tadpoletail panted as he got the mountain Lion into the cave. All was definitely not fine. It took a lot more stamina than he thought to get it in here, and he wasn't sure he could escape easily without it just following him back out. He glanced around desperately but then got to the edge. There was a slope that led down if he could just land next to that…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He'd die here, but at least he'd die protecting cats, just like Leopardstar did for him, and the other half-clan cats held prisoner by Darkstar all those moons ago. The white and silver tom just hoped that his family could forgive him for dying so far away from home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Meanwhile, Squirrelpaw frowned as she heard the loud growling and snarling abruptly stop, but there was no sign of Tadpoletail.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you think he’s okay?” The ginger she-cat turned to the other cats who were gathered, cautiously, near the entrance to the cave Tadpoletail had disappeared into with the mountain lion. “He’ll be okay right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” Snowstar admitted. “We’ll give him a few minutes, then Tabbyclaw and Longclaw will check on him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want to go check on him too,” Nightcloud added.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very well,” Snowstar said, nodding. She wasn't going to argue with one from the group going to check on the well-being of their friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After several slow, gut-churning minutes, there was no sign of Tadpoletail. The chosen cats to go check the cave got up and silently entered. Nightcloud’s heart was pounding, praying to both StarClan and SpiritClan that her friend was alive, even if he was injured.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cave, the black and gray dappled she-cat noticed, was a lot smaller than she imagined. It was still rather large, and the water dripping from the pointed rocks in the ceiling to the pointed rocks below echoed as they hit their target. The cave didn't go far back, but there was a rather large drop below, with a perilous small pathway down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The blood hit Nightcloud first. The WindClan warrior hadn’t noticed it at first since the water in the cave did a much better job than expected at erasing it, but the scent was there nonetheless. Nightcloud swallowed as they came across Tadpoletail’s body, the RiverClan warrior stabbed by several of the pointed stones, the body of the mountain lion from far away on a different array of stones.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Quickly and quietly, the three cats retrieved their fallen comrade’s body. Nightcloud buried her grief and guilt. This wasn't the time for that. She had saved a lot of cats with her idea, and Tadpoletail knew the risk. He knew what he was getting into. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are your groups’ burial traditions?” Snowstar asked the traveling cats quietly. “It’s the least we can do here in BlizzardClan, for the sacrifice he made for us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Those closest to the dead sit with them and share tongues one final night, then the elders take the body the next morning and bury them at sunrise,” Nightcloud answered. Snowstar nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you don’t mind, all of BlizzardClan sit with our dead until moonfall. Do you mind if we do this for Tapoletail?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not at all,” Crowpaw sighed, tail flicking. “Just… I don’t know where we can bury him….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me figure that out,” a black tom said, his sharp green eyes landing on the group. “I’m the lone elder of BlizzardClan, Nightwatcher.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well met,” Crowpaw murmured. “I assume you know our names?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Snowstar told me, yes,” Nightwatcher chuckled, then sighed. “So much death because of that nasty beast….”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At least it’s over now,” Brambleclaw sighed. “It’s gone now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah….” Mistyfoot sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The RiverClan deputy swallowed as, the next morning, Nightwatcher guided the journeying cats outside and got their help to get a hole dug and place their dead friend inside. As they buried him, Mistyfoot couldn't help but think of Sasha and Tadpoletail’s siblings. How was she supposed to face them now? How was she supposed to even begin to ask for their forgiveness?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This was all Nightcloud’s fault. It was her idea. She should have gone last.  She should have taken that final, most dangerous part. It should be her body in place of Tadpoletail’s. The WindClan warrior was a coward and failure. Nightcloud trembled and nuzzled into Brambleclaw’s shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Brambleclaw took a shuddering breath and wrapped his tail around the bawling Nightcloud. He had to remain strong, at least for the rest of the group. The scarred warrior had experienced a lot in his life, including the fire that permanently wounded him as a kit, but this hit him the worst. He could do this; he could be everyone’s rock. He could get through this. Brambleclaw could stay strong for every cat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Squirrelpaw swallowed and glanced at Crowpaw. This was… A lot for the ginger she-cat. She never really experienced loss during her life. The clans had been in an era of peace, minus a couple of border skirmishes, since BloodClan was defeated and her own parents left on a journey and came back several moons later. As such, she was in a bit of a state of shock now that one of her closest friends was just… Gone. Squirrelpaw would never be able to talk with Tadpoletail again, discussing different hunting techniques and their clans. She’d never be able to joke around with him or even have him for support.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Crowpaw sighed and nuzzled Squirrelpaw gently. It was a lot for both of them. Crowpaw was no stranger to death; kits died a lot in WindClan, either from being stillborn or taken off by birds of prey. Still, this was the first time Crowpaw lost a cat he was attached to, and he wasn't sure how to process it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The group would get through this; they had to.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Book 3 Allegiances</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>ThunderClan</strong>
</p><p><em>Leader:</em> Flamestar- heavily scarred pale ginger tabby she-cat with white chest and paws</p><p><em>Deputy: </em>Thistleheart- brown tabby tom with white chest, paws and a white right foreleg</p><p><em>Medicine Cat: </em>Fireglow- handsome ginger tom</p><p><em>Medicine Cat Apprentice: </em>Cloudfeather- long-haired white tom</p><p>
  <em>Warriors:</em>
</p><p>Longtail- pale tabby tom with dark black stripes, blind due to injury</p><p>Mousefur- small dusky brown she-cat<br/>
apprentice, Spiderpaw</p><p>Ravenfeather- small, skinny black tom with a tiny dash on his chest and a white-tipped tail</p><p>Barley- black and white tom</p><p>Brackennose- golden-brown tabby tom</p><p>Sandstorm- pale ginger she-cat</p><p>Dustpelt- dark brown tabby tom</p><p>Brighteye- she-cat, white with ginger splotches</p><p>Thornclaw- golden brown tom</p><p>Silverstream- a pretty slender silver tabby<br/>
apprentice, Whitepaw</p><p>Ferncloud-pale gray with darker flecks she-cat, pale green eyes</p><p>Ashfur-pale gray with darker flecks tom, dark blue eyes</p><p>Brambleclaw- dark brown tabby tom with patches of burn scars, amber eyes<br/>
apprentice, Squirrelpaw</p><p>Snowdrift- pure white tom, deaf</p><p>Stormcloud- dark gray tom</p><p>Scourge- small black tom with a white front paw</p><p>Bone- burley black and white tom</p><p>Brickfur- dark ginger she-cat</p><p>Sorreltail- calico she-cat with amber eyes</p><p>
  <em>Apprentices:</em>
</p><p>Squirrelpaw- short-legged dark ginger she-cat with green eyes</p><p>Spiderpaw- long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes</p><p>Whitepaw- white she-cat with green eyes</p><p>
  <em>Queens:</em>
</p><p>Cinderleg- dark gray she-cat</p><p>Feathertail- soft-furred silver tabby she-cat with a plumy tail.</p><p>
  <em>Elders:</em>
</p><p>Dappletail- once pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with a lovely dapple coat, oldest cat in ThunderCLan</p><p>Brokentail—long-haired dark brown tabby; blind; formerly ShadowClan leader.</p><p>Frostfur- beautiful white coat and blue eyes</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>ShadowClan</strong>
</p><p><em>Leader: </em>Blackstar—large white tom with huge jet-black paws</p><p><em>Deputy: </em>Russetfur-dark ginger she-cat, formerly a rogue cat</p><p><em>Medicine Cat: </em>Littlecloud- very small tabby tom</p><p>
  <em>Warriors:</em>
</p><p>Oakfur-small brown tom<br/>
apprentice, Smokepaw</p><p>Tawnypelt-tortoiseshell she-cat, green eyes</p><p>Boulder-silver tabby tom, formerly a rogue cat</p><p>Rowanclaw- ginger she-cat<br/>
apprentice, Talonpaw</p><p>Tallpoppy- long-legged light brown tabby she-cat</p><p>
  <em>Elders:</em>
</p><p>Runningnose- small gray and white tom, formerly a medicine cat<em><br/>
</em></p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>WindClan</strong>
</p><p><em>Leader: </em>Tallstar- a black-and-white tom with a very long tail</p><p><em>Deputy: </em>Deadfoot- a black tom with a twisted paw</p><p><em>Medicine Cat: </em>Barkface-a short-tailed brown tom</p><p><em>Medicine Cat Apprentice: </em>Leafpaw-light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes and white paws</p><p>
  <em>Warriors:</em>
</p><p>Mudclaw- a mottled dark brown tom<br/>
apprentice, Crowpaw (dark black tom)</p><p>Webfoot- dark gray tabby tom<br/>
apprentice, Weaselpaw</p><p>Onewhisker- brown tabby tom</p><p>Nightcloud- black she-cat with dark gray patches</p><p>Runnigbrook- light gray tabby she-cat<br/>
apprentice, Thistlepaw</p><p>
  <em>Elders:</em>
</p><p>Morningflower- tortoiseshell queen</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>RiverClan</strong>
</p><p><em>Leader: </em>Leopardstar- unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat</p><p><em>Deputy: </em>Mistyfoot- dark gray she-cat with blue eyes</p><p><em>Medicine Cat: </em>Mudfur- long-haired light brown tom</p><p><em>Medicine Cat Apprentice: </em>Mothwing- cream she-cat with a pale ginger lynx point pattern</p><p>
  <em>Warriors:</em>
</p><p>Hawkfrost- brown tom with black lynx point pattern<br/>
apprentice, Splashpaw</p><p>Heavystep-thickset tabby tom</p><p>Sasha-sleek-furred, tawny-colored she-cat with blue eyes and a dark tail and ears</p><p>
  <em>Queens:</em>
</p><p>Dawnflower- pale gray she-cat</p><p>
  <em>Elders:</em>
</p><p>Loudbelly- dark brown tom</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Cats outside the clans</strong>
</p><p>Purdy-elderly tabby tom that lives in woods near the sea </p><p>Cody- tabby kittypet with blue eyes</p><p>
  <strong>Other Animals</strong>
</p><p>Midnight- star-gazing badger who lives by the sea</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Book 3 Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“It feels good being back in WindClan territory,” Nightcloud sighed. Crowpaw gave a silent nod, brushing his tail along his mate Squirrelpaw’s side. The dark ginger she-cat smiled sadly at him and nuzzled his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re home,” Brambleclaw murmured. “And soon, We’ll be leading the clans to a new home. A better home.”  Mistyfoot nodded and sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At what cost, though?” she asked softly. The group went silent as they started walking through WindClan’s territory, the death of their companion and friend, Tadpoletail, still resting heavily into their heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hault!” Nightcloud and Crowpaw’s ears perked at the familiar voice. “Who goes there?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Webfoot!” Nightclub exclaimed, “It’s Nightcloud and Crowpaw!” The dark gray tabby eyed them distrustfully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can’t be, they rain off moons ago,” the ginger tom next to him hissed. “What are you doing in our territory?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Weaselkit?” Crowpaw asked, eyes wide. “There's… I suppose it has been a while… We need to talk to Tallstar immediately.” Webfoot narrowed his eyes but guided the traveling cats to WindClan’s camp. Crowpaw looked at the two cats, frowning at how skinny and weak they appeared. He could see Webfoot’s ribs, and Weaselpaw looked like he wasn’t that far from being in the same state.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once they were in WindClan’s camp, Nightcloud and Crowpaw took the lead for the traveling cats, since it was their clan, and Tallstar looked over with a  knowing look in his eyes as well as Barkface and Leafpaw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Welcome home,” he smiled warmly. “Webfoot, Weaselpaw, leave us. You have traveled far, and your journey is not over, come into the den.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” Nightcloud said, the traveling cats as well as Deadfoot, Barkface, and Leafpaw entered the den with Tallstar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“StarClan said you’d be returning and to tell our leaders,” Barkface said. “What happened? Where did you go?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We were called by StarClan to journey far,” Crowpaw explained. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tallstar nodded, listening to the retelling. It was apparent Crowpaw was used to taking a speaking role within the group, the others allowing him to speak without even discussing it. They had all grown close, and the WindClan apprentice had grown both in confidence and wisdom since he was away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The WindClan leader thought of his own time away from WindClan, and how it helped him grow and change into the cat he was. He supposed this was also why StarClan chose these specific cats as well, especially RiverClan’s deputy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Time is of the essence,” Crowpaw urged his leader after he was done retelling the tale, heart heavy after mentioning Tadpoletail’s sacrifice. “Please, tonight at Fourtrees-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fourtrees was destroyed by the twolegs,” Deadfoot cut the black tom off. The traveling cats gaped in shock.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Where  Fourtrees used to be then,” Crowpaw quickly recovered. “It’s something all four clans must hear. Please.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We will be there,” Tallstar reassured with a nod. “Barkface?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bring all of WindClan, from kits to elders,” Barkface said, and Leafpaw nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I… Whatever they need to tell us, it will change everything. We’ll have to make the decision right away,” the WindClan medicine cat apprentice said. Tallstar nodded and turned to the traveling cats.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go, WindClan will be there, head to the other clans.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I had a feeling you’d be back today,” Littlecloud said as the traveling cats entered ShadowClan’s camp. “Welcome back, StarClan said you’d have news?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tonight, where Fourtrees used to be,” Tawnypelt nodded. “We need to talk to Blackstar, convince him to bring all of ShadowClan.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No need.” The group turned to see the white tom exit his den and pad over, his eyes filled with determination. “We’ll be there. StarClan spoke to me in a dream last night, Talonpaw has eagerly awaited your return, Rowanclaw.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He still isn’t a warrior?” Rowanclaw asked, shocked. She was sure he’d be by the time she returned.<br/></span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He was gravely injured soon after you left,” Littlecloud admitted. “He can barely walk now, and will never be a warrior.” The ginger tabby’s heart clenched, and she rushed to the medicine cat den. Crowpaw sighed and retold the tale of their journey and Tadpoletail’s sacrifice as their companion checked on her former apprentice. Blackstar nodded, looking contemplative.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We will be there,” he promised. “All of ShadowClan.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This feels wrong,” Squirrelpaw mumbled as the group entered the empty ThunderClan camp. “Where is everyone?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t think ThunderClan could be... Gone do you?” Brambleclaw suggested hesitantly. Squirrelpaw froe, and Crowpaw nuzzled the top of her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I still smell…” Nightcloud frowned as she approached the den that smelt strongly of herbs, only to be pounced on by a rather angry Cloudfetaher.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cloudfeather!” Squirelpaw dashed over to her cousin. “It’s us!” The white tom frowned then got off of the black and gray warrior.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Squirrelpaw, Brambleclaw? You guys- StarClan was right,” he realized. “Follow me quickly! We’ve been staying in RiverClan camp; I was just coming here to gather the rest of Fireglow and my herbs!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The group gasped as they walked into the rundown camp. Flamestar was talking with Leopardstar, and Hawkfrost and Thistleheart were organizing patrols. Mistyfoot took a deep breath as the two leaders looked over, and Mudfur glanced over from where he was helping Brokentail.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re back,” Leopardstar said, looking over the group. “Where is Tadpoletail?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s… Gone,” Mistyfoot murmured. Crowpaw whispered to the leaders, explaining the story. Both leaders glanced at each other and called over their temporary-deputy and deputy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve returned!” Hawkfrost smiled, then frowned. “Where-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dead,” Mistyfoot said, eyes showing her grief, “He made the ultimate sacrifice so we could come home.” Hawkfrost swallowed and nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You want us to meet where Fourtrees was then?” Flamestar asked. The group nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Every cat, not just a handful of warriors,” Squirrelpaw added. “This is something big, and the damage is so much worse than we were warned of by StarClan.” Thistleheart nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Back when your parents left on their own journey,” Flametsar said. “I trusted them to return, and I trusted the same for you too, if you say all of ThunderClan must be there, they will be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mistyfoot, you've served faithfully as my deputy, and I hope you’ll continue to do so,” Leopardstar added. “So, I will trust you as well. Whatever is going on, Tadpoletail died so you could return to RiverClan, all of RiverClan will be there as well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve been away a long time,” Hawkfrost added. “If you need any help at all, Mistyfoot, I’m more than happy to help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Hawkfrost, and I’m so sorry,” she said. The brown and black tom just swished his tail.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My brother died for you; whatever this journey was, it meant everything for him, and you lot did too, which means I’ll honor his memory and help you in any way I can.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This better be important,” Squirrelpaw heard one of the warriors near her mutter. “Why do we </span>
  <em>
    <span>all </span>
  </em>
  <span>need to be here?” The dark ginger she-cat felt her pelt prickle in apprehension. Would they be able to convince all of these cats? Would StarClan help them? The dark ginger she-cat put on a brave face as she joined the other chosen cats at the front of the group.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite Crowpaw’s naturally calm and soft voice, the clan cats all quickly quieted down as Crowpaw’s voice echoed over the vast area. The traveling cats waited as he explained the journey, Tadpoletail’s sacrifice, and finally, what Midnight told them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“StarClan has spoken,” the black tom concluded. “The clans must unite and leave the forest, or we will be destroyed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We must leave,” Squirrelpaw spoke up next. “Follow the path we did, and a dying warrior will guide us from there.” there were stars in Squirrelpaw’s eyes, and she seemed almost in a trance. She blinked and shook her head. “For all of the clans, we have to do this; we have to leave.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s StarClan’s will,” Mistyfoot added. “Tadpoletail died so that we could come here and lead the cans to their new home.” The clan cats glanced at each other nervously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Crowpaw took a deep breath and looked to the leaders, all of them looking contemplative.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“... StarClan wills us to leave?” Flamestar finally spoke up. “They sent you to find us a new home? To find a path?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Rowanclaw confirmed. “And it’ll have to be now or in the morning.” The ginger she-cat didn’t know how she knew this, but she just did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very well….” Flamestar glanced at the other leaders. “Then there’s something that’s long overdue before we leave.” Tallstar nodded and took a deep breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Crowpaw, step forward.” The black tom’s eyes widened and approached the black and white tom. “Do you promise to hunt with and defend your clanmates until you can no longer run on the moor?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do,” Crowpaw confirmed. “If… I’d like to be named Crowtail to honor our fallen companion.” Tallstar nodded and smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very well, then you shall be known as Crowtail, StarClan honors your loyalty and tenacity and WindClan welcomes you as a full warrior!” the clans called out his name, and Flamestar turned to Squirrelpaw, beckoning her to step forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I, Flamestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Squirrelpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do,” she nodded, determination in her eyes. The clan cats not from ThunderClan whispered around them, shocked by the words sworn by ThunderClan cats during their warrior ceremony.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Squirrelpaw, from this moment, you will be known as Squirrelflight. StarClan honors your loyalty and dedication, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Flamestar touched the top of her head, and Squirrelflight strained herself to lick Flamestar’s shoulder. The clans called out the names for the new warriors.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do ThunderClan cats really swear that every time?” Mistyfoot asked Brambleclaw quietly, he nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I'm surprised by how short WindClan’s ceremony is,” he admitted. “After all, they are now warriors in StarClan’s eyes and full members of their clan.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No wonder you ThunderClan cats take the code so seriously,” Rowanclaw chuckled. “And why Tawnypaw was so surprised her first time witnessing a cat become a  warrior.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“ThunderClan has always sworn to uphold the code,” Tawnypelt shrugged. “I assumed other clans did the same.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The irony of it all is that Squirrelflight really isn’t,” Mistyfoot murmured to them, gazing at the two newly made warriors, and mates. Nightcloud nodded and sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They'll be trekking a hard road,” she agreed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The group turned their attention to the leaders as they joined the traveling cats, Blackstar nodding to them. They nodded back, and the newly named Crowtail spoke up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll all sleep here, and leave tomorrow at dawn, no exceptions.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Book 3 Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This chapter is the shortest chapter I've ever written for this fic (only 897 words!) because honestly? I didn't know what to write since the tribe was no longer relevant to return to (thank StarClan) so.... Here ya go, a short chapter xD</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Tomorrow, one of us will have to give the sign,” Bluestar said, and Tadpoletail glanced at the other StarClan cats. Like their living counterparts, they had all gathered in one place, looking fidgety and nervous. He didn’t blame them; he was too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The dying warrior we were told about by Midnight correct?” the silver and white tom spoke up. Bluestar nodded. “I’ll-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll do it!” Everyone turned towards the voice that had cut off the former RiverClan warrior. “‘I'll be the sign.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But Spottedleaf,” Featherwhisker, Spottedleaf’s mentor, spoke up. “You’ll lose your place in StarClan, and even if some faded cats were reborn there’s no guarantee that-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Someone has too,” Spottedleaf said, glancing down at the dying cats. Several of them, including Mudfur, would be joining them tonight, either through starvation of sickness. “Tadpoletail is needed to guide StarClan, just as his living friends are needed to guide the living clans. I wasn’t long in life, and I wish to aid my clan one more time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well spoken!” Everyone turned to see Mapleshade approach. “Think you’d leave me behind? I will remain as long as there's kits in the clans! I’m coming with you all.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The StarClan cats all looked at each other, amused. Even if all the cats Mapleshade knew had either faded or were close to it, the she-cat stubbornly remained, staying anchored not by her story being passed down, but the legacy of the part of the code she had helped create. Even after Mapleshade’s final resting place was mutilated when Fourtrees was destroyed, she still remained steadfast. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It's decided then,” Nutmegheart said, heart filled with grief. “I hope you get a second chance at life, Spottedleaf, and not simply fade away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Nutmegheart,” she smiled softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hopefully, that’s the last of the dead,” Mothwing muttered as she buried her leader as well as several kits and elders. “We need to get moving.” Leafpaw winced and glanced to a grieving Cinderleg and Feathertail. Both had lost kits, Feathertail losing her two kits, and Cinderleg having just one final kit left. After Shrewpaw’s death two moons ago, it would be the last of Dustpelt and Cinderleg’s children.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ready, everyone?” Flamestar asked, heart heavy. The clans nodded, and the leaders looked to the traveling cats, who took their places at the front of the group. Squirrelflight and Crowtail had sat vigil for the clans that night, as was tradition, and looked exhausted. However, it was clear they wanted, and needed, to soldier on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As we’ll ever be,” Tawnypelt said as Leafpaw quickly brought over traveling herbs for the two most tired cats. The dark ginger she-cat and the black tom ate them and gave the WindClan medicine cat apprentice a grateful look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The four clans quickly moved out, hearing the twolegs and their monsters move in as they reached the moor, which was looking even worse for wear even after a day. The WindClan cats looked especially stricken with grief as they started across the moor. The landscaped passed the cats, maneuvering around several tunnels and dens.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually, however, the day turned to dusk, and they reached the highstones.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We should rest here and hunt," Tallstar said. "And allowed those who sat vigil last night to get some well-earned rest as well."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We can still go on," Crowtail protested, but it was apparent just how dead on their feet both he and Squirrelflight were. The black and white WindClan leader just shook his head and tasked a couple of his warriors to hunt, the other leaders following suit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Squirrelflight sighed and curled up, Crowtail following suit. Mistyfoot eyed them but, as they simply chose to fall asleep near each other and not with each other, didn't say anything and turned to Rowanclaw and Tawnypelt. Brambleclaw and Nightcloud had been chosen to hunt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hopefully food and rest will do us all good, remember squeezing through the tunnels?" Rowanclaw laughed, her clanmate's words bringing up the memory quite vividly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, Brambleclaw got stuck a couple of times, in the squeezes," the russet warrior mused. "I'm glad going that way wasn't an option with so many cats."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sure Nightcloud is happier," Mistyfoot chuckled. "She hated those tunnels."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No kidding, I think she was more terrified than any of us," Tawnypelt said. "Not that I blame her."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It feels weird, being with the clans again," Mistyfoot admitted. "Especially without Tadpoletail."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah," the two ShadowClan warriors agreed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I miss him," Rowanclaw murmured.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We all do," Tawnypelt said, running her tail across her clanmate's shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually, the hunting party returned, and everyone hungrily and readily ate. This was more food than any of the clan cats that had stayed in the forest had seen in moons, and slightly less than what the cats who had been chosen for the journey were used to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time everyone had eaten and rested, the day had turned to evening, and the stars were starting to come out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tadpoletail watched as Spottedleaf turned into pure shimmering light and leaped off and away from her fellow StarClan cats and towards where the clans should go. The silver and white tom smiled sadly as he got up along with his still-living friends. He hoped he'd see her again, in another life, but for now, they had direction, and it was time for the clans to move to their new home and to a new age.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Book 4 Allegiances</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>ThunderClan</strong>
</p><p><em>Leader:</em> Flamestar- heavily scarred pale ginger tabby she-cat with white chest and paws</p><p><em>Deputy: </em>Thistleheart- brown tabby tom with white chest, paws and a white right foreleg</p><p><em>Medicine Cat: </em>Fireglow- handsome ginger tom</p><p><em>Medicine Cat Apprentice: </em>Cloudfeather- long-haired white tom</p><p>
  <em>Warriors:</em>
</p><p>Longtail- pale tabby tom with dark black stripes, blind due to injury</p><p>Mousefur- small dusky brown she-cat<br/>apprentice, Spiderpaw</p><p>Ravenfeather- small, skinny black tom with a tiny dash on his chest and a white-tipped tail</p><p>Barley- black and white tom</p><p>Brackennose- golden-brown tabby tom</p><p>Sandstorm- pale ginger she-cat</p><p>Dustpelt- dark brown tabby tom</p><p>Brighteye- she-cat, white with ginger splotches</p><p>Thornclaw- golden brown tom</p><p>Silverstream- a pretty slender silver tabby<br/>apprentice, Whitepaw</p><p>Ferncloud-pale gray with darker flecks she-cat, pale green eyes</p><p>Ashfur-pale gray with darker flecks tom, dark blue eyes</p><p>Brambleclaw- dark brown tabby tom with patches of burn scars, amber eyes</p><p>Snowdrift- pure white tom, deaf</p><p>Stormcloud- dark gray tom</p><p>Scourge- small black tom with a white front paw</p><p>Bone- burley black and white tom</p><p>Brickfur- dark ginger she-cat</p><p>Sorreltail- calico she-cat with amber eyes</p><p>Squirrelflight- short-legged dark ginger she-cat with green eyes</p><p>
  <em>Apprentices:</em>
</p><p>Spiderpaw- long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes</p><p>Whitepaw- white she-cat with green eyes</p><p>
  <em>Queens:</em>
</p><p>Cinderleg- dark gray she-cat</p><p>Feathertail- soft-furred silver tabby she-cat with a plumy tail.</p><p>
  <em>Elders:</em>
</p><p>Brokentail—long-haired dark brown tabby; blind; formerly ShadowClan leader.</p><p>Frostfur- beautiful white coat and blue eyes</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>ShadowClan</strong>
</p><p><em>Leader: </em>Blackstar—large white tom with huge jet-black paws</p><p><em>Deputy: </em>Russetfur-dark ginger she-cat</p><p><em>Medicine Cat: </em>Littlecloud- very small tabby tom</p><p>
  <em>Warriors:</em>
</p><p>Oakfur-small brown tom<br/>apprentice, Smokepaw</p><p>Tawnypelt-tortoiseshell she-cat, green eyes</p><p>Rowanclaw- ginger she-cat</p><p>Tallpoppy- long-legged light brown tabby she-cat</p><p>
  <em>Elders:</em>
</p><p>Runningnose- small gray and white tom, formerly a medicine cat<em><br/></em></p><p>Talonpaw- heavily scarred dark gray tom</p><p>Boulder- skinny silver tabby tom</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>WindClan</strong>
</p><p><em>Leader: </em>Tallstar- a black-and-white tom with a very long tail</p><p><em>Deputy: </em>Deadfoot- a black tom with a twisted paw</p><p><em>Medicine Cat: </em>Barkface-a short-tailed brown tom</p><p><em>Medicine Cat Apprentice: </em>Leafpaw-light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes and white paws</p><p>
  <em>Warriors:</em>
</p><p>Mudclaw- a mottled dark brown tom</p><p>Crowtail- dark black tom</p><p>Webfoot- dark gray tabby tom<br/>apprentice, Weaselpaw</p><p>Onewhisker- brown tabby tom</p><p>Nightcloud- black she-cat with dark gray patches</p><p>Runnigbrook- light gray tabby she-cat<br/>apprentice, Thistlepaw</p><p>
  <em>Elders:</em>
</p><p>Morningflower- tortoiseshell queen</p><p>Rushtail - light brown tom</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>RiverClan</strong>
</p><p><em>Leader: </em>Leopardstar- unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat</p><p><em>Deputy: </em>Mistyfoot- dark gray she-cat with blue eyes</p><p><em>Medicine Cat: </em>Mudfur- long-haired light brown tom</p><p><em>Medicine Cat Apprentice: </em>Mothwing- cream she-cat with a pale ginger lynx point pattern</p><p>
  <em>Warriors:</em>
</p><p>Blackclaw-smoky black tom<br/>apprentice, Volepaw</p><p>Hawkfrost- brown tom with black lynx point pattern</p><p>Heavystep-thickset tabby tom<br/>apprentice, Stonepaw</p><p>Sasha-sleek-furred, tawny-colored she-cat with blue eyes and a dark tail and ears</p><p>
  <em>Queens:</em>
</p><p>Dawnflower- pale gray she-cat</p><p>Mosspelt- tortoiseshell she-cat</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Cats outside the clans</strong>
</p><p>Smoky-muscular gray and white tom who lives in a barn near the horseplace </p><p>Daisy-she-cat with long creamy brown fur who lives with Smoky </p><p>Floss-small gray and white she-cat who lives with Smoky and Daisy </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Book 4 Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry, this took so long ^^;</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"This is it," Leafpaw murmured as the clans approached a rather large, woodsy area. "We should settle by the lake for now while we work out camps and territory."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You sure, Leafpaw?" Barkface asked his apprentice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, she's right," Squirrelflight added, ears perked. "This is where we should be."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Doesn't look like there's many twolegs that would be around here," Rowanclaw observed, "At least, I don't smell any."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Let's head down towards whatever lake Leafpaw is talking about then," Tallstar said. "Then our elders, kits, and queens can rest."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It is getting late," Leopardstar agreed. "And rest for all of us would be great." Mistyfoot nodded, and everyone started down, eventually decided on a field of wildflowers for their temporary camp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Flamestar… Tallstar wishes to see you, Fireglow, and Thistleheart. As well as Scourge," Deadfoot said, approaching the scarred ginger tabby. Flamestar blinked, but nodded, following the WindClan deputy to a temporary den. Fireglow, Thistleheart, and Scourge were already there and entered when the ThunderClan leader joined them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hello, you four," Tallstar smiled weakly. "Might I say, I'm glad you honored an old, dying tom's wish. Now… I'm not long for this world, so please, let me tell you a bit of a story.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"When I was a lot younger, just made a warrior, I left WindClan. My father had died in a cave collapse, and I blamed a loner who used to come and stay with us with his family during new leaf.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I hated this cat, so much so that I was prepared to kill him. I wanted nothing more than to get my revenge on him and bring myself peace.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"On the way, I met a little who saved me from some dogs and got his twolegs to patch me up. His name was Jake."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Our father?" Thistleheart asked, eyes wide. Scourge froze, blue eyes equally as wide.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Jake is your father as well?" the small tom asked. The siblings stared at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You…?” Flamestar froze, and Scourge nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It appears so.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tallstar chuckled at the siblings and shifted, continuing his story. “He came with me, and as we got closer to the loner’s home, we also grew closer…. Eventually falling in love. I… Didn’t take the revenge I had planned, let go of my hatred, and when we returned…” Tallstar sighed. “We went our separate ways. He would have been miserable in the clans, and I would have been in twolegplace. I am about to see him again, I know it in my heart, but I am so proud of all of you, and of the cats you became. The clans need to learn to see beyond themselves, and I feel like we’re starting to do that. None of you have any clan blood, but you understand clan life more than most clanborn cats.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have a feeling StarClan wishes for changes in the clans, changes that will only happen if the leaders, medicine cats, and deputies help make those changes. I already told Deadfoot to make Crowtail deputy after he takes over as leader. I hope, whether it’s you or Thistleheart, will do the same with Squirrelflight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s time for me to go and see Jake again, but i know he, Nutmegheart, and whoever your mother is Scourge are also proud of you and the cats you’ve become….” With that, Tallstar took one final breath and died.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Flamestar was trembling as the group of cats left the den, her eyes filled with tears. He was gone, really gone. The ginger tabby remembered back when they met, when she, the then Firepaw, and Ravenfeather were sent to bring WindClan back to the forest. It felt like a lifetime ago.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s gone,” she murmured to Deadfoot. “Truly gone…” The older tom took a shaky breath and nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll let my clan know,” Deadfoot murmured. “We’ll have to find a new moonstone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And quickly,” Flamestar agreed. “For what it’s worth, Deadfoot, I and all of ThunderClan are behind you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Flamestar,” the black tom murmured, looking over to his cats. “I’ll address them, but we need to send out cats to check the territory. I am going to honor Tallstar’s final wishes. After all, StarClan clearly trusts Crowtail and believes him to be a good, strong cat. He has done so much more for our clan than any other cat, recently made a warrior or not. He acted as one for moons on the journey.” Flamestar watched him go, silently wishing the new WindClan leader well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Crowtail froze as Deadfoot spoke. Tallstar was dead? It didn’t settle in him, and he wished desperately he could simply go over to Squirrelflight and get comfort from his mate. However, he couldn't, and from glancing around, several cats like him simply couldn't process what was happening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did he tell you anything specific?” Mudclaw asked, and Crowtail recognized the gleam in his former mentor’s eyes. “Specifically about the deputy position?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Deadfoot looked over the crowd. “He says StarClan has decided on our new deputy. Crowtail, StarClan had trusted you with going on the journey and showed more bravery, loyalty, and understanding than any one cat should be expected too. I say this so that Tallstar’s spirit may hear and approve my choice, Crowtail is the new deputy of WindClan!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What?” The brown tom demanded, even as many cats congratulated the shocked tom. Several others, however, were whispering and glancing over at him with uncertainty. “He’s never had an apprentice, is a new warrior! Not to mention Tallstar promised </span>
  <em>
    <span>I </span>
  </em>
  <span>would be the next leader!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did he now?” Deadfoot snorted. “Why has no one ever heard of this change? Why were you not declared deputy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Deadfoot has been our deputy for many seasons, and I trust him to also be our leader,” Nightcloud spoke up. Many cats whispered and murmured, uncertainty rising within the clan. It seemed most were in agreement with Nightcloud, even if they weren’t all necessarily happy with Deadfoot’s choice of deputy. Still, some huddled with Mudclaw, talking amongst themselves and glaring at Deadfoot and Crowtail.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Father… are you certain?” Crowtail asked as he approached Deadfoot. “Cats might think you’re playing favorites or-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life,” Deadafoot cut him off, smiling softly. “StarClan trusted you to lead us to our new home and with the most important mission of the clans, and I shall trust their judgment. I may be older and aging myself, but I do have a lot of life left in me, and WindClan will soon see the you your mother and I have always seen, and StarClan has seen as well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Deadfoot.” The two cats turned to see Leopardstar approaching. “We’ve decided to send the journeying cats to see into finding us new territory, as well as Hawkfrost in place of his brother.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very well, Crowtail, Nightcloud, it seems you must do us one more service before your journey and mission are officially complete.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, sir,” Nightcloud said as she approached. “It’s our honor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll be back shortly,” Crowtail added. The two left and joined the other journeying cats plus Hawkfrost at the edge of the clans. Having Hawkfrost there didn’t fill the hole that was left by Tadpoletail’s death within the group, but now wasn’t the time to dwell on that. It was time to find their clan’s new homes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This territory… It’s nice, very similar to ours back in the forest,” Rowanclaw said, looking around the marshland that the group had started with. “The tree branches are a bit higher than ShadowClan is used too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The territory smells rich of lizards and frogs, so our usual prey lives here,” Tawnypelt pointed out. “We just need to figure out a camp.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“True,” Rowanclaw said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure we can find one, why else would StarClan send us here?” Squirrelflight said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hawkfrost watched the group, fascinated as they explored and talked, even eventually finding some catmint and what Rowanclaw and Tawnypelt decided would be a good camp. They acted not only as clanmates, but a family, joking and talking and teasing each other. Even the minor argument Mistyoot and Tawnypelt had was more playful than anything, and reminded RiverClan tom of a couple of arguments Hawkfrost and his siblings got into sometimes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One finding ShadowClan’s territory, Squirrelflight beamed as she saw a half-bridge. She rushed over, and the other cats followed her, looking various levels of amused or annoyed. It was at the edge of the marsh and separated it from a waterlogged area with several streams running through it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Check this out, guys!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It's a great place to fish from, and a perfect border marker for ShadowClan,” Hawkfrost observed. The traveling cats glanced at each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Actually, there’ll be neutral territory between all of the clans,” Mistyfoot explained to her fellow RiverClan cat. “About as wide as the half-bridge.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s to help promote peace and such,” Squirrelflight explained. “A place where both clans can be and hunt, not to mention a neutral zone for fights and discussions between clans.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a bit of an experiment,” Rowanclaw admitted. “And might not work out, but it’s worth a try.” Hawkfrost blinked at them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We managed to get the leaders to agree to it, somehow,” Nightcloud mused. The gray and black she-cat shook her head and smiled. “It’s experimental, and can change, but we’re hoping it’ll work out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can't imagine being forced to fight any of my friends or my brother,” Tawnypelt admitted. “I don’t think I could do it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’d have too, but… I get it,” Crowtail sighed. The ginger she-cat of the group nodded to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fair enough,” Hawkfrost shrugged. “Let’s continue exploring.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Meanwhile, the medicine cats had gathered together. They all realized there was no way they could return to the moonstone, it was a several moon journey and who knew if it was even still there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s especially important for Deadfoot,” Leafpaw said. “He can’t receive his nine lives and leader name currently.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And tensions within WindClan are high,” Barkface added.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That and a gathering place are priorities,” Littlecloud nodded, turning to Cloudfeather and Fireglow. “Have StarClan spoken to you two?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, the rest of you?” the white tom asked. The group of medicine cats shook their heads.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s concerning,” Mudfur admitted. “Wouldn’t that be one of the first things they would show us?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would hope so,” Mothwing mumbled. Leafpaw sighed, ear twitching. All of this was a mess… She wished she could help the clans, or StarClan gave her a sign.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The island Mothwing found could have been good for a gathering place if there was an easy way to get to it,” Barkface said, pulling his apprentice out from her thoughts. The medicine cats continued to discuss this as the patrol came back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, you six,” Flamestar nodded in greeting as they approached the leaders. “Have you found suitable territories?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, and camps as well,” Brambelcaw said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As well as perfect neutral territories, with the farm being the neutral territory between RiverClan and WindClan,” Mistyfoot added. “Which, all things considered, is probably for the best.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very well,” Leopardstar nodded. “Let’s gather our cats then.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Book 4 Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Edit: 8/13/2020</p><p>I edited the scene with Fireglow and Cloudfeather to make more sense ^^</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Whoa there, Spiderpaw!” Brambleclaw grabbed the apprentice by the scruff and pulled him away from the edge. “There’s a safe way down, but you have to follow us.”</p><p>“He did the thing I did,” Squirrelflight purred in amusement. “There’s several ledges and small caves through the stone walls. There’s a bramble-encased entrance that leads in and out of the forest. There’s also several larger caves to serve as the different dens, including three on the very bottom of the stone wall that can be used for the medicine den, nursery, and elder’s den.”</p><p>“You clearly thought this out,” Flamestar mused. “It is a well-protected camp.”</p><p>“And several ways in and out,” Ashfur observed, eyeing the area as the two ThunderClan journeying cats led them into the quarry. “With them having the high ground.”</p><p>“Not necessarily,” Thistleheart observed as they passed a rather large den near the top. “That looks like a great warriors' den. It’s about halfway down, so they can’t be ambushed easily from either side. Plus, that den a bit away from the others with the ledge right outside it? Perfect for the Leader's den as a place to make clan announcements.” Squirrelflight beamed at her father and nodded.</p><p>“That’s what Squirrelflgiht thought as well,” Brambleclaw said, gesturing to a cave close to the bottom of the quarry. “That’s the planned apprentice’s den.” It wasn’t as big as the future warrior’s den, but it had enough room for a decent amount of cats.</p><p>“There’s also a  small spring in the planned medicine den, it has these little ledges in it too and a smaller cave off of it,” the ginger she-cat said proudly.</p><p>-</p><p>“This is all a mess so far,” Squirrelflight murmured to Crowtail several days later, the two hidden away in a bush in the neutral ground between ThunderClan and WindClan territory. “The neutral territory is at least semi-working. Plus, our clans border each other now.”</p><p>“That they do,” Crowtail said, nuzzling his mate. “I just hope we can all get through this in one piece, Mudclaw and his followers have constantly been trying to undermine my father’s authority and refuse to go on patrols. It’s a small group, and they definitely aren’t gaining supporters with their actions, but....”</p><p>“I get it,” the ginger she-cat sighed. “I just wish there was a way I could help you.”</p><p>The black tom nodded.  “How is Birchkit?”</p><p>“Energetic now that he’s gotten his strength back,” Squirrelflight purred. “I have no doubt he’ll be an apprentice soon, and I hear gossip that Spiderpaw will become a warrior soon.”</p><p>“That’s great news!” Crowtail purred. “We don’t have any queen currently within WindClan, but I have a feeling we’ll be making use of the nursery den soon.”</p><p>Squirrelflight nodded, then sighed and looked out towards the land beyond the small bush the two found themselves hidden away in. She could see the start of the forest from here, though it was several fox lengths away. She wondered, not for the first time, if love was really so wrong between two cats that something as insignificant as not being in the same clan or one being a medicine cat was so against their code. After all, how could her and Crowtail’s love be so wrong and evil?</p><p>-</p><p>“Those cats we met were certainly interesting,” Brambleclaw snorted as ThunderClan returned to camp after the Gathering. “Daisy and Smoky, were they?”</p><p>“They know this area better than we do,” Squirrelflgiht reminded, nose scrunching up as she smelt the now-familiar scent of fox. “Besides, it’s hardly like any of us go to horseplace beyond as a temporary gathering place anyway,” she pointed out.</p><p>“Doesn't mean I have to like it,” Brambleclaw huffed. “They just seemed so…”</p><p>“Off?” Squirrelflight finished. “I’m sure we seemed off to them as well.”</p><p>“Fair enough,” the browns d black-tabby admitted. The ginger she-cat chuckled and watched as Mousefur and Longtail took their places in the new elder’s den, both retiring at the same time just after Spiderleg was made a warrior. They had fought long and hard for their clan, and while every cat in ThunderCLan was sad to see such two skilled cats retired, they had both earned it tenfold.</p><p>-</p><p>“Leafpaw, you can hear me, right?” Leafpaw blinked her eyes open and shook her head, looking around, gasping as Tadpoletail manifested in front of her. “I need you to listen to me, us StarClan cats have finally found a suitable and powerful place for medicine cats to have their meeting, and I must show you.”</p><p>“R-right, why me?” Leafpaw asked. </p><p>Tadpoletail just sighed. He hated this. What was he supposed to tell her? Since joining StarClan, he had learned many secrets, including Squirrelflight and Leafpaw’s true parentage as well as his real father. Though, honestly, Tadpoletail was relieved to learn that Darkstar was not actually his father. Still, these were not his secrets to share, not really.</p><p>“You have a solid connection to StarClan,” the white and silver tom said instead. “One that will help not just WindClan, but all the clans.”</p><p>The brown tabby she-cat nodded, following closely behind the former RiverClan warrior. The WindClan medicine cat couldn't fathom why StarClan was entrusting her with this, but she was not one to question her ancestors. Leafpaw had total faith that StarClan knew what they were doing.</p><p>Tadpoletail, however, had zero clue what he was doing. What if he was wrong? What if the pool wasn’t a good place? What is- he stopped just at the water’s edge, where it seemed all of the stars in the sky were reflected in its water. At that moment, Tadpoletail knew he was right. This would serve as a strong gate and connection between the living and dead warriors.</p><p>“Follow this exact route in the morning,” he said, turning to Leafpaw. “Bring Nightcloud with you.”</p><p>“Yes, Tadpoletail, thank you,” she said, relieved. “Tomorrow night is the half-moon, and it will be great to have a place to gather and share tongues with our ancestors.” Tadpoletail just chuckled.</p><p>When Leafpaw woke up, she instantly ran to the gray and black she-cat, who looked startled.</p><p>“Leafpaw? What’s got you so chipper this morning?”</p><p>“No time! Can you come with me somewhere?” Leafpaw asked. For a second, Nightcloud froze, wondering if the WindClan apprentice found out about Crowtail and Squirrelflight. The two cats had been extra careful, and Brambleclaw and her had been covering for them as much as they could, but very little got past Leafpaw.</p><p>“Right, of course,” Nightcloud said nervously. Leafpaw beamed, and the WindClan warriors easily kept pace with the apprentice, skirting to a stop when they climbed a rocky path to a brilliant pool, one that still seemed to be reflecting the stars.</p><p>“It really is here,” Leafpaw said, relieved. “StarClan spoke to me last night; this is to be our new Moonstone!”</p><p>-</p><p>“You know, Cloudfeather,” Fireglow hummed as they sorted the herbs they were able to find, which was a surprising amount. “Sometimes, I wonder about certain parts of the code.”</p><p>“Is this about you and Sandstorm?" Cloudfeather glanced at his uncle and mentor.</p><p>“Well, partially,” the ginger tom said, his green eyes never leaving his work. "There's two of us, and you have your full name, why shouldn't we be allowed a mate or kits?"</p><p>“Yeah, but it’s not like we can change it,” CLoudfeatehr sighed, resuming his work. “Even if we want too."</p><p>“A pity,” Fireglow said. Cloudfeather was about to ask why he would bring it up when Squirrelflight came to grab them.</p><p>“Leafpaw and Nightcloud are here, said they have important news for you two,” the ginger she-cat informed them. The ThunderClan medicine cats nodded and left their den.</p><p>“I found it!” Leafpaw exclaimed, acting much like her sister.</p><p>“You mean StarClan finally revealed the new Moonstone?” Cloudfeather gasped, and Leafpaw nodded, beaming. “That’s amazing! And perfect timing considering tonight is the half-moon!”</p><p>“I’m going around telling everyone, well, Barkface is telling Mudfur and Mothwing, can one of you tell Littlecloud?”</p><p>“We can, thank you, Leafpaw,” Fireglow purred. “And thank you for escorting her, Nightcloud.”</p><p>“Of course,” the WindClan warrior smiled. “We’ll make our leave now, however.”</p><p>-</p><p>“In honor of your find and StarClan’s trust in you, I have decided you’re ready for your full anime. Leafpaw,” Barkface smiled down at his shocked and excited apprentice. “I, Barkface, medicine cat of WindClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this Apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of a Medicine Cat, and with your help, she will serve her Clan for many moons.</p><p>"Leafpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a Medicine Cat, to stand apart from rivalry between Clan and Clan and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?"</p><p>"I do,” Leafpaw nodded, eyes wide. Barkface chuckled and smiled warmly.</p><p>"Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your true name as a Medicine Cat. Leafpaw, from this moment, you will be known as Leafpool. StarClan honors your compassion, understanding, and patience, and we welcome you as a full medicine cat of WindClan." </p><p>“Leafpool! Leafpool!” the other medicine cats cheered.</p><p>“Now let’s share tongues with StarClan,” Barkface smiled, and the cats all touched their noses to the newly-named Moonpool.</p><p>-</p><p>“Beware, Leafpool,” Tallstar said, approaching the newly named medicine cat. “For before there is peace around the lake, blood will spill blood, and the lake will run red.”</p><p>“What do you mean?” Leafpool asked, eyes wide in fear.</p><p>“I can't tell you that, young one,” the black and white tom murmured. “But  I wish I could.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Book 4 Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"Crowtail! What's goin on?" Squrrielflivht asked as the black tom burst into ThunderClan camp, looking injured.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The black tom panted, looking around. "Where's Flamestar? Mudclaw and his supporters are launching an attack against WindClan! Nightcloud went to grab Mistyfoot. There's some RiverClan cats as well!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Say no more," Flamestar said, exiting the elder's den. "ThunderClan will assist you. Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight, grab Brickfur, Scourge, Barley, Thistleheart, and Ravenfeather. We don't have time to lose."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, aunt Flamestar," Squirrelflight nodded. Once the patrol was gathered, they left with Crowtail.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The battle was complete chaos, and as Crowtail defended himself and his fellow loyal clanmates, he wondered what would have driven Mudclaw to such extremes. He had always been proud and ambitious, but trying to undermine the deputy-turned-leader? Over what, a lie?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"StarClan…" Crowtail gasped, and Flamestar dragged a RiverClan tom off of him. She bit his leg and sent him running. Did ThunderClan always fight this fiercely?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Surrender, Mudclaw, cease this useless fighting!" Thistleclaw exclaimed later. They had driven them nearly to RiverClan, but the dusky brown tom refused to give up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm the rightful leader of Windclan!" Mudclaw spat. "Not some crippled aging warrior!" He threw Thistleheart off, and the two cats circled each other as the fighting went on, before the brown tabby pounced, pinning his opponent to the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Conceed!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Never!" Mudclaw growling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thistleheart still had Mudclaw pinned when the bolt of lightning struck the tree. The large ancient Oak fell quickly, crashing down on the two cats.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Every cat froze, staring at the spot, the two cats had been as blood started to pool. Flamestar was the first to unfreeze, darting over and getting on top of the hulking trunk. None of the medicine cats stopped her as she walked around the trunk several times and jumped off. Even Flamestar knew a lost cause when she saw one, and there was no way either cat survived.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"StarClan has ended the conflict and given us a bridge to a gathering place," she stated. "Also, they gave me a sign for my new deputy. I say these words so StarClan may hear me, and approve of their choice, Squirrelflight is the new deputy of ThunderClan!</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I know this chapter is super short, but eh that be how it be sometimes XD</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Book 5 Allegiances</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I just realized I forgot to make Feathertail a warrior again in the last allegiances page whoops ^^; I do have plans for her to have kits later (as Bumeblestripe, Blossomfall, and their sibling's mother) but yeah xD</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>ThunderClan</strong>
</p><p><em>Leader:</em> Flamestar- heavily scarred pale ginger tabby she-cat with white chest and paws</p><p><em>Deputy: </em>Squirrelflight- short-legged dark ginger she-cat with green eyes<br/>apprentice, Birchpaw</p><p><em>Medicine Cat: </em>Fireglow- handsome ginger tom</p><p><em>Medicine Cat Apprentice: </em>Cloudfeather- long-haired white tom</p><p>
  <em>Warriors:</em>
</p><p>Ravenfeather- small, skinny black tom with a tiny dash on his chest and a white-tipped tail</p><p>Barley- black and white tom</p><p>Brackennose- golden-brown tabby tom</p><p>Sandstorm- pale ginger she-cat</p><p>Dustpelt- dark brown tabby tom</p><p>Brighteye- she-cat, white with ginger splotches</p><p>Thornclaw- golden brown tom</p><p>Silverstream- a pretty slender silver tabby<br/>apprentice, Whitepaw</p><p>Ferncloud-pale gray with darker flecks she-cat, pale green eyes</p><p>Ashfur-pale gray with darker flecks tom, dark blue eyes</p><p>Brambleclaw- dark brown tabby tom with patches of burn scars, amber eyes</p><p>Snowdrift- pure white tom, deaf</p><p>Grayclaw- solid gray tom</p><p>Stormcloud- dark gray tom</p><p>Scourge- small black tom with a white front paw</p><p>Bone- burley black and white tom</p><p>Brickfur- dark ginger she-cat</p><p>Spiderleg- long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes</p><p>Feathertail- soft-furred silver tabby she-cat with a plumy tail.</p><p>Cinderleg- dark gray she-cat</p><p>
  <em>Apprentices:</em>
</p><p>Whitepaw- white she-cat with green eyes</p><p>Birchpaw- light brown tabby tom</p><p>
  <em>Queens:</em>
</p><p>Sorreltail- calico she-cat with amber eyes</p><p>Daisy-she-cat with long creamy brown fur</p><p>
  <em>Elders:</em>
</p><p>Brokentail—long-haired dark brown tabby; blind due to injury</p><p>Frostfur- beautiful white coat and blue eyes</p><p>Longtail- pale tabby tom with dark black stripes, blind due to injury</p><p>Mousefur- small dusky brown she-cat<br/><br/></p><p>
  <strong>ShadowClan</strong>
</p><p><em>Leader: </em>Blackstar—large white tom with huge jet-black paws</p><p><em>Deputy: </em>Russetfur-dark ginger she-cat</p><p><em>Medicine Cat: </em>Littlecloud- very small tabby tom</p><p>
  <em>Warriors:</em>
</p><p>Oakfur-small brown tom<br/>apprentice, Smokepaw</p><p>Tawnypelt-tortoiseshell she-cat, green eyes</p><p>Rowanclaw- ginger she-cat</p><p>Tallpoppy- long-legged light brown tabby she-cat</p><p>
  <em>Elders:</em>
</p><p>Talonpaw- heavily scarred dark gray tom</p><p>Boulder- skinny silver tabby tom</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>WindClan</strong>
</p><p><em>Leader: </em>Deadstar- a black tom with a twisted paw</p><p><em>Deputy: </em>Crowtail- dark black tom</p><p><em>Medicine Cat: </em>Barkface-a short-tailed brown tom</p><p><em>Medicine Cat Apprentice: </em>Leafpool-light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes and white paws</p><p>
  <em>Warriors:</em>
</p><p>Mudclaw- a mottled dark brown tom</p><p>Webfoot- dark gray tabby tom</p><p>Onewhisker- brown tabby tom</p><p>Nightcloud- black she-cat with dark gray patches</p><p>Weaselfur- ginger tom with white paws</p><p>
  <em>Queens:</em>
</p><p>Whitetail- small white she-cat</p><p>
  <em>Elders:</em>
</p><p>Morningflower- tortoiseshell queen</p><p>Rushtail - light brown tom</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>RiverClan</strong>
</p><p><em>Leader: </em>Leopardstar- unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat</p><p><em>Deputy: </em>Mistyfoot- dark gray she-cat with blue eyes</p><p><em>Medicine Cat: </em>Mothwing- cream she-cat with a pale ginger lynx point pattern</p><p>
  <em>Warriors:</em>
</p><p>Blackclaw-smoky black tom<br/>apprentice, Beechpaw</p><p>Hawkfrost- brown tom with black lynx point pattern</p><p>Voletooth- small brown tabby tom</p><p>Swallowtail- dark tabby she-cat</p><p>Reedwhisker- black tom<br/>apprentice, Rushpaw</p><p>Sasha-sleek-furred, tawny-colored she-cat with blue eyes and a dark tail and ears</p><p>
  <em>Queens:</em>
</p><p>Dawnflower- pale gray she-cat</p><p>Mosspelt- tortoiseshell she-cat</p><p>
  <em>Elders:</em>
</p><p>Heavystep- thickset tabby tom</p><p>Ivytail- brown tabby she-cat</p><p>
  <strong>Cats outside the clans</strong>
</p><p>Smoky-muscular gray and white tom who lives in a barn near the horseplace </p><p>Floss-small gray and white she-cat who lives with Smoky and Daisy</p><p>
  <strong>Other Animals</strong>
</p><p>Pip- black and white terrier who lives with Twolegs near the horseplace </p><p>Midnight- a star-gazing badger who ives by the sea</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>apprentently I'm really bad at remembering Grayclaw/stripe exists wow</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Book 5 Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Brambleclaw, just who I wanted to see,” Flamestar said, approaching the scarred dark tabby. “Can you come with Thornclaw, Squirrelflight, Ashfur, and myself to check out WindClan? Make sure everything went smoothly after the fight last night?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, Flamestar,” Brambeclaw nodded, only half surprised he was chosen. It was well known the cats who had been selected to travel by StarClan were all still close. Thistleheart had been taken to be buried at dawn. While Brambleclaw, Flamestar, Sandstorm, and his kits (Leafpool had been given permission to come and sit vigil for her father) were exhausted, Brambleclaw was still worried about Nightcloud and Crowtail. Besides, Leafpool needed to be escorted home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are we heading back to WindClan then?” Said brown tabby she-cat approached the two of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Flamestar confirmed with a sad smile. “It was good to see you again, Leafpool, though I wish it were under better terms.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As do I,” the medicine cat admitted. “Let’s head home.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The group easily navigated ThunderClan territory, the cats having slowly started getting used to it. There was still a lot of it to discover and explore, but it didn’t feel like it wasn’t home. Plus, with the neutral territory between clans, it did help alleviate many border skirmishes that could have happened if there wasn’t a small buffer while they all adjusted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Figured we’d be seeing you this early,” Crowtail said, tail swishing as ThunderClan entered the neutral territory between them and WindClan. He was with Whitetail, Weaselpaw, and Webfoot. “My father sent us to greet you and to make sure Leafpool had a patrol to get home with.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a pleasure to see you, Crowtail,” Flametsar nodded. “I figured Deadstar would, so he had received his nine lives?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s correct, Whitetail confirmed, smiling. “How are things in ThunderClan?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thistleheart was buried at dawn, “Flamestar sighed and smiled sadly.”We’re all physically well, Cloudfeather and Fireglow patched up every cat’s injuries, but emotionally…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I understand,” the white she-cat murmured. “My condolences. Thistleheart was a fine warrior and deputy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And an even better father,” Leafpool stated, padding over to her clanmates. “How is everyone?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good,” Webfoot said briskly. “We should be heading home now.” Crowtail gave the older warrior an annoyed look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Webfoot need I remind you we owe our lives to several of these cats?” Whitetail rose a brow. “Especially me, I was an apprentice when they brought us back to the forest.” the white she-cat turned to Flamestar. “Ignore him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Squirrelflgiht watched them closely. Webfoot had been one of Mudclaw’s followers, and the fact that he was on patrol led by Crowtail, WindClan’s deputy, meant they were probably keeping a close eye on the defectors. The dark ginger she-cat made a mental note to ask Crowtail about it later on. After all, both were the deputies of their respective clan, so they’d see each other at every Gathering.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually, after a few more pleasantries, the two patrols separated, and the ThunderClan cats quickly found the scent of a badger. Ashfur snorted and rushed to drive it off, the large animal quickly leaving with her three cubs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ashfur, why in StarClan would you do that?” Squirrelflight demanded, remembering Midnight. Ashfur blink,d looking surprised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Badgers are dangerous; I was doing the clan a service.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, where are she and her children going to go?” the feisty dark ginger she-cat demanded. “She did nothing wrong.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Squirrelflight,” Brambleclaw murmured to her, brushing his tail over her back several times to calm her. He was upset too, but Squirrelflight had inherited her aunt Flamestar’s temper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Be that as it may be, the badger still could have killed our cats if we let her stay here,” Flamestr said calmly. “Let’s continue back to camp.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Squirrelflight guess what?” Brickfur approached her fellow dark ginger she-cat once the patrol was back.  “Sorreltail is expecting!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, Brackennose agreed then?” Squirrelflgiht asked, excited for her friend. Still, it pained Squirrelflight to know if she ever got pregnant, she could never tell any cat their true parentage. Brickfur nodded, looking excited. Sorreltail and Brickfur had become mates shortly before the Great Journey, and Squirrelflight couldn't be happier for her friends. “That’s great!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, Sorreltail was nervous that he wouldn't agree,” Brickfur admitted. “But I knew he would, he loves her like a sister and would do anything for her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That he would,” Squirrelflgiht mused. “Want to go hunting later? Then you can tell me all about how excited you are and what names I know you already have picked out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bruickfur nodded beaming. The ThunderClan deputy squashed down her slight jealousy, just happy for her friend. The two cats deserved this more than anyone in Squirrelflight's opinion, and she wasn’t going to let her relationship change that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The dark ginger she-cat huffed as she once again did her best to avoid Ashfur. Unfortunately, that seemed to be mostly impossible. The deputy and warrior were collecting moss for the dens, specifically the nursery and elder’s den, and Ashfur just wouldn't. Shut. Up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just mean, it’s weird, right? The scent of fox being so strong and the badgers,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I heard you the first four times, Ashfu,” Squirrelflight sighed tiredly. “Here, can you bring this latest batch back? I need to go make dirt.” Without even waiting for a response, she put down the moss she was carrying and stalked away, grumbling to herself. Why was he acting so weird? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Squirrelflight watch ou-oh.” Ashfur skidded to a stop, looking mad as Brambleclaw, who had been hunting nearby, quickly drove the fox off from the dark ginger she-cat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You okay?” Brambelcaw asked his former apprentice, who nodded. “Good. Let’s get back to camp quickly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aunt Flamestar would like to hear about this,” Squirrelflight nodded. “Come on, you two.” Ashfur sighed and reluctantly followed them, glaring at Brambleclaw as they went.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Squirrelflight quickly pulled Flamestar into the leader’s den once they got back to camp, the two toms delivering the moss to where it needed to go.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aunt Flamestar, we ran into a fox while out gathering moss,” the dark ginger she-cat explained. Brambeclaw managed to drive it off, but it could still be around; we were pretty close to the neutral territory between us and WindClan as well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll let the clan know,” Flamestar nodded. “You, Brambleclaw, and Ashfur should go warn WindClan.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We will leave right away,” the deputy said. She left her leader and went to grab the two toms, the three leaving right away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You three are a sight for sore eyes,” Deadstar observed of the three ThunderCLan warriors. All of them had been injured by the fox, but Brambelcaw got the worst of it, many of his old burn scars having been reopened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There was a fox,” Squirrelflight explained to the WindClan patrol. “We believe it headed towards WindClan territory.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Another fox?” Crowtail huffed. “It feels like they're everywhere these days.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Should we really be telling an enemy clan that? “Webfoot hissed, but Deadstar flicked his tail.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There are no enemies here, just fellow clan cats,” Deadstar said evenly. “Thank you for this information; I had planned to bring the foxes up during the Gathering.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, sir, see you then,” Squirrelflight nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If that’s all, let's head back to camp, “Ashfur said, already leaving. Webfoot snorted and turned, leaving as well. The dark ginger she-cat sighed, irritation evident.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll see you tomorrow night, you two,” the ThunderClan deputy said. Crowtail looked like he wanted to say something, but left with his leader.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This island is huge,” Squirrelflight marveled, exploring it with the other journeying cats. All of the clan leaders seemed to have decided that the group of seven should attend the first official Gathering on the island. It made sense they were the ones to bring the clans to their new home, and three of them were deputies anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, kidding,” Brambleclaw mused. “It’s slightly bigger than Fourtrees if I have to guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wouldn't surprise me,” Tawnypelt nodded. “There’s plenty of room for all the clans.” Rowanclaw nodded, smiling at her mate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That reminds me, we haven’t told you guys yet, Tawnypelt and i are mates!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow, really?” Crowtail gasped. “Congratulations, you two!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“About time,” Squirrelflight joked. The three deputies turned to see the Leaders getting onto various branches of a rather large tree on the island. “I think it’s our time to join the leaders and Russetfur.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good luck, you three,” Nightcloud purred. “Have fun going to each and every one of these.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, I get to see at least Mistyfoot and Crowtail more often,” the ginger she-cat purred. “And my sister.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very true,” Crowtail smiled warmly at his mate, quickly nuzzling her before the group split off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s begin the gathering, if none of you mind, I wish to share first,” Deadstar said, glancing at the other leaders. When there were no objections, he said. “I have successfully received my nine lives, and as you know have selected Crowtail as my deputy. We also have two new warriors, Weaselfur and Owlwhisker!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The clans cheered for the new warrior, and Leopardstar decided to go next. “We had a badger on our territory, but we drove it out safe. Blackstar, I believe it was starting to head towards ShadowClan territory.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll keep a lookout, thank you, Leopardfur,” Blackstar said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We also have a new warrior, Voletooth!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Flamestar allowed the cats to call out for Voletooth before speaking. “I have little to report beyond pleasantries, but as you know, StarClan has decided Squirrelflight as my new deputy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“ShadowClan has little to report as well,” Blackstar nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then I believe we should further discuss the clan boundaries and neutral territories,” Flamestar added. “They’ve worked so far, and the boundaries we’ve previously established have worked as well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I agree,” Blackstar nodded. “Especially the meadow between ShadowClan and ThunderCLan, it has a lot of herbs, not to mention good prey. It benefits both our clans to keep that territory neutral.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then it’s agreed?” Leopardstar spoke up, and Deadstar nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds like it. The neutral territories will stay,” the newest leader says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I also think that the sand area around the lake should also be neutral territory, to help with travel to the Moonpools and Gatherings,” Flamestar added. “So less conflicts occur.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You? Wanting less conflict?” Leopardstar mused. “But it’s a good idea.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seems reasonable, there isn't much prey to be found there anyway,” Blackstar stated, Deadstar simply nodding his agreement. The Gathering soon came to a close after that.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Book 5 Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Squirrelflgiht grinned as she touched noses with the newly named Birchpaw. Every cat in ThunderClan knew she would get the light brown tom, but it didn’t make it any less exciting. Birchpaw seemed nervous but also excited. However, the dark ginger she-cat noticed her mother approaching.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Birchpaw, why don’t you go check out the apprentice den, we’ll go out in a couple of minutes to see the territory,” Squirrelflight said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, Squirrelflight!” Birchpaw chirped and rushed off. Sandstorm chuckled as she gestured to a more secluded spot in camp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, mom, what’s up?” the dark ginger she-cat asked. Sandstorm sighed and glanced to where Ashfur seemed to want to try and get closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m… A bit concerned,” Sandstorm admitted. “Ashfur is-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Acting weird and annoying? I know,” Squirrelflgiht cut her mom off with a huff. “I don’t get it. Even when I don’t put him on patrol with me or I reject his offer to be on his patrol, he still tries to make us patrol together.” Sandstorm looked relieved.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, good. Squirrelflight, do you not realize he likes you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Squirrelflgiht blinked at her mother’s words. “Like- Oh, ew! He’s like, way older than me! He’s older than Brambleclaw!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My point exactly,” Sandstorm chuckled. “I’ll talk to Flamestar about it. I just… Feel a bit responsible since he was my apprentice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He was your apprentice?” Squirrelflgiht blinked. In almost all cases, mentors and apprentices developed a special bond with one another, and it was very rare it didn’t happen. Squirrelflight couldn't ever imagine someone not forming that bond with her mother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” the pale ginger she-cat nodded. “Onto better topics though, I hear you and Brambleclaw have gotten closer since the journey,” Sandstorm purred. Squirrelflight blinked, then her eyes widened. This… This was a good out, and the dark ginger was sure Brambleclaw wouldn’t mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, we saw each other as equals for so long on the journey it just sort of… Happened,” she admitted. “Tawnypelt and Rowanclaw are mates, too. Not that Brambleclaw and I are mates, I mean kinda? Neither of us have asked the other,” the deputy said, a bit flustered. At least no one suspected her and Crowtail of being together. “Is… That a problem?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Under normal circumstances, yes,” Sandstorm admitted. “But like you said, you two saw each other as equals for a long time, and these things happened naturally when you already share a close bond.” Squirrelflight relaxed and nodded. “Off you go now, I’m sure Birchpaw is more than excited to see the territory, and you have a border patrol to lead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Brichpaw!” Squirrelflight said firmly. “Get back here!” They were on patrol with Thornclaw, Brambleclaw, Silverstream, and Whitepaw, and were checking out the ShadowClan border.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But there was a kittypet,” Birchpaw pouted as he skidded to a stop just before the ShadowClan border. The dark ginger she-cat sighed and approached.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, but that’s the border; you’ve defended our territory. No need to follow the intruder over the border.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Squirrelflight,” Birchpaw slumped. Squirrelflight shook her head and brushed her tail across her apprentice’s shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Still, you did well, chasing them off. Let’s mark the border and head back to camp to give our report; then we can check out the rest of the territory.” Birchpaw perked up and nodded</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I remember you doing something similar as an apprentice with the RiverClan border,” Brambelclaw mused as they headed back. Squirrelflgiht gave a good-natured huff and shook her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I remember that did it a couple more times, too,” she mused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I accidentally went over the WindClan border yesterday,” Whitepaw admitted. “Luckily, the patrol was pretty understanding, except for Onewhisker, but he’s mean.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He was one of Mudclaw’s supporters if I remember correctly,” Brambleclaw nodded. Silverstream snorted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s just a jerk all around; I am not looking forward to sharing a border with him again,” she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?” Birchpaw asked the silver tabby.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was born and raised in RiverClan, but my heart brought me to ThunderClan,” Silverstream explained. “I'm actually the daughter of the RiverClan leader before Leopardstar, Crookedstar.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s a loyal ThunderClan warrior now, along with her mate Grayclaw and their kits,” Whitepaw added.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well yeah, why would she have an apprentice if she wasn't?” Birchpaw blinked, and Whitepaw relaxed and nodded. “I think it’s cool! What was living in RiverClan like?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was all I knew for a long time,” Silverstream mused. “It was different from ThunderClan, that’s for sure. We learned to swim from a young age, though only in shallow pools and puddles as kits. We didn’t have an emphasis on honor and tales of battles like in ThunderClan.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow, really?” Birchpaw asked. Silverstream nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, though with Flamestar’s permission, I’ve been helping teach the apprentices the basics of swimming and such, as well as teaching anyone who wants to learn how to fish. I've taught Whitepaw a little more than the basics, as well as my children, but that’s because they wanted to learn more.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aren’t you one of the cats from Horseplace?” Cloudfeather frowned in concern. He had been borrowing the two apprentices to help him and Fireglow to collect herbs when Birchpaw ran off towards the smell of the cream-colored she-cat. He did, however, bring her over to the fluffy white tom when he realized she had kits instead of chasing her off. “... Let’s bring her and her kits to camp, Birchpaw go grab my uncle and Whitepaw for me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, sir!” Birchpaw went off towards the direction the slightly older apprentice and Fireglow went off to. The three quickly rejoined Daisy and Cloudfeather, and they all left for camp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once in camp, Flamestar immediately had a nest made up for Daisy and her kits in the nursery. Once the four cats were settled, she called a meeting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just now, a queen and her kits have come to us, they’ll be allowed to stay in our nursery,” Flamestar said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? Who?” Ashfur asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She introduced herself as Daisy, she’s from the Horseplace,” the leader said, tail swishing. “She wishes to join ThunderClan, and I have allowed it.” Her tone made it evident that there was no room to argue, not that any cat would openly. It was against the code to deny help to any kit in need, regardless of origin. “Meeting dismissed.” Flamestar jumped down, and Ashfur huffed and turned to Squirrelflight, who he somehow managed to sit next to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why in StarClan would she let a kittypet join ThunderClan?” he asked. To the gray tom’s surprise, Squirrelflight glared.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Her mother was a kittypet who joined the clan, by blood I’m half kittypet,” she hissed. “Plus, no kit is denied help, by both our code and her own morals.” She stomped off, muttering to herself Ashdur was such a mouse brain!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whatever he said, don’t take it seriously,” Brambeclaw murmured to her, approaching her after noticing how mad the dark ginger was. “He can go eat crow food.” Squirrelflgiht nodded and sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come to the front with me for a second? We need to talk,” she said quietly. The brown and black tabby blinked, but nodded, following her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once in the forest, Squirrelflgiht took a deep breath. “My mom thinks we’re in love.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Brambleclaw froze, eyes wide. Squirrelflgiht winced.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I know, but… It… It’s not a bad thing? It helps cover Crowtail and I, and if cats assume we’re mates, maybe Ashfur will back off. She brought it up when she pulled me to the side to talk about Ashfur.” Brambeclaw looked contemplative but nodded, looking determined.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, I’ll do it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really?” Squirrelflight beamed. “Thank you! For the record, I just told her there was another cat I loved, and she assumed you, I said we weren’t officially together yet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll say we confessed here then,” Brambeclaw mused. “Let’s head back to camp.” The dark ginger nodded, beaming. Brambleclaw chuckled. He never saw himself wanting a mate or kits, ever, so he was more than happy to pretend to be Squirrelflight’s mate, mainly because he saw her as a sister and also knew she imagined having kits one day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tawnypelt, are you okay?” Brambelcaw asked as he and his patrol of Feathertail, Snowdrift, and Spiderleg approached the ShadowClan border. The calico she-cat had barely managed to chase off a kittypet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re getting bolder,” Tawnypelt sighed and shook out her pelt. “It’s getting ridiculous.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If it doesn't overstep, we can help out,” Brambeclaw said, glancing at his patrol, who all nodded. Feathertail had been helping her mate keep up with the conversation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That would be great,” Tawnypelt looked relieved. “Follow me.” She led the patrol through ShadowClan territory quickly, and right into camp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tawnypelt, why did you bring them here?” Blackstar asked, narrowing his eyes at the ThunderClan patrol.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They're going to help us with our kittypet problem,” Tawnypelt said, eyes never leaving Blackstar. “It’s about time we show them that they’re not welcomed here!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The large white tom looked contemplative, before nodding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very well. Russetfur? Get a patrol together.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes sir,” the ShadowClan deputy nodded, quickly gathering Tawnypelt, Rowanclaw, and a couple other cats.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, we need a plan,” Bramblelaw said, looking the cats over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We need to draw them out into an ambush,” Russetfur brought up. “So we can surround them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll go out and act scared and hurt,” Tawnypelt offered. “And once they think they have me surrounded, we pounce.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once every cat was in agreement, the plan was enacted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you again,” Blackstar said as he led the ThunderClan patrol back over the border. “ShadowClan won’t forget this debt.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They were starting to cross into our territory, it’s no trouble,” Squirrelflight reassured.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Even so, us alone couldn’t have forced them off of Clan territory,” the leader said. The ThunderClan deputy nodded and smiled, the patrol quickly leaving to camp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One the way back, Squirrelflight nearly purred. It felt nice, fighting with her clanmates again. It reminded her of the Journey when they had to fight with each other and work with each other when meeting the many hostile cats on their way to Midnight. She really hoped their plan to unite the clans against common outside threats worked. Sure, the group couldn't stop into clan fights and disputes, but they could at least make them more understanding and peaceful to one another.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shrew for your thoughts?” Ferncloud asked. Squirrelflgiht shook her head and smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just thinking about the Journey with the others,” she said. “The unity and understanding… The way we fought with each other, similar to how the two patrols fought with each other.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Feathertail nodded and smiled. “I can't imagine ever leaving ThunderClan for that long, you and Brambleclaw were extremely brave for what you did. All of you were.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just trusted StarClan,” Squirrelflgiht mumbled, looking away from the silver tabby. “It was terrifying at some points, beyond devastating in others but… I miss it, in a weird way. I’m loyal to ThunderClan, and I’m happy to be home, but…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You miss the closeness?” Feathertail guessed. “The freedom?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Exactly,” Squirrelflgiht said, relieved Feathertail got what she meant.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think that’s natural,” the older she-cat admitted. “You eight were a small, close group for a very long time. From what I’ve seen, you’re all still really close now. By StarClan, you and Brambleclaw are mates now!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rowanclaw and Tawnypelt too,” Squirrelflgiht added, smiling at Feathertail. “And you’re right, we are all close, and I think we will be for the rest of our lives.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“-Wasting valuable resources on another clan!” Crowtail looked over to where Onewhisker was muttering angrily to Webfoot. The black tom sighed and glanced at Leafpool, who was padding beside him. They had just picked up the medicine cat from the RiverClan border. The brown tabby she-cat had been helping Mothwing in RiverClan with a mysterious illness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While Crowtail would never say he understood medicine cats, he at least understood they held a very special place in clan society. Medicine cats were meant to help all cats, regardless of background, and weren't confined to their clan. In fact, Leafpool was born and raised in ThunderClan until StarClan called her to WindClan when she turned six moons old. The WindClan deputy at least knew and understood that herbs weren't strictly one clan’s resources, and they also had Barkface in case anything within the clan happened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Onewhisker, are you quite done?” Leafpool asked with her eyes narrowed. “I am a medicine cat, it’s my duty to help all cats, who can you not get it into your head that medicine cats have a different code from warriors?” the brown tabby froze. “Not only that but what if that sickness was contagious and got into our Clan? It’s better to take care of it at the source.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well spoken, Leafpool,” Crowtail said with a nod. He frowned at the badger scent but shook his head. They weren't causing any trouble, and besides, Midnight could’ be the only kind badger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You three!” Cloudfeather huffed when he noticed that Hazelkit, Berrykit, and Mousekit had destroyed most of the herbs. “Look what you’ve done!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, mister Cloudfeather!” Hazelkit squeaked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We didn’t mean to!” Berrykit said, eyes wide. The fluffy white tom weighed and shook his head, leading them out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Be that as it may, you shoudn't go playing with Fireglow and I’s herbs,” he said firmly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There you three are!” Daisy said, coming up shortly after. “I’m so sorry about my sons, Coudfeather!” The medicine cat just swished his tail.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry about it. They wouldn't be the first kits to make a mess of our de and won’t be the last.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Be that as it may, you three are staying in the nursery the rest of the day,” Daisy said firmly. “Come on!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ashfur watched the queen and her as they entered the nursery and snorted. “Told you we shouldn't have let kittypets in,” he told Squirrelflight, who bristled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ashfur, I don’t know what your problem is,” she hissed. “But I’m thinking maybe you should stay in camp as well, and fix that stupid attitude towards non-clanborn cats,” the dark ginger said. The gray tom’s eyes widened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can't do that!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Actually, as my deputy, she can,” Flamestar said, coming up to the two cats. “And I believe I asked you to stay away from my niece unless she’s telling you to go on a patrol or otherwise has clan business with you,” the ginger she-cat said firmly. Both she-cats watched as he stalked off, and Squirrelfligiht swished her tail.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mousebrained, disrespectful… UGH!” she exclaimed, and Flamestar sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I understand your irritation, StarClan knows he’s been more than insufferable lately,” the ThunderClan leader said. “How has Birchpaw been?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s taken really well to his training, and even managed to beat Whitepaw yesterday in a hunting exercise,” Squirrelflgiht informed her aunt with a purr. Flametsar chuckled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad to hear, do you mind if I take him out for a hunting assessment today?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not at all,” the smaller she-cat reassured. Squirrelflight wasn’t surprised, in all honesty, Thistleheart and Flamestar had always done random assessments of the apprentices. “He’s checking the elders for ticks; then he’s all yours.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perfect, go help your cousin and uncle gather herbs in the meantime?” Flamestar purred. The deputy nodded and went to go find the two medicine cats.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Finally done! Sorry this one took so long guys</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Not an Update</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I was just wondering something, I do have a document that I've been working on with the family trees of the series up to the current book we're on (which is why the next chapter, besides it being the fight with the badgers, is taking so long) I was wondering if any of you would be interested in me posting it????</p><p> </p><p>It would have slight spoilers but not too much, and most of the family ties would never be mentioned except maybe in passing, but I always found genealogy interesting and cool and wondered if others would find it cool to look through? I'd update it (in separate chapters and such)  as the series goes on</p><p> </p><p>Let me know in the comments! I'm working on this both to help me avoid any family members becoming mates, and for fun! Don't worry, I'm also working on the newest chapter for The Next Generation as well!</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Book 5 Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Squirrelflight sighed and nuzzled Crowtail. She hated this, them being mates being a secret now. Everything was so much harder now than they were with the clans again. The dark ginger she-cat often wondered if it would just be better for them to run away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Prey for your thoughts?” Crowtail asked quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I miss it,” Squirrelflight said. “Being able to be with you openly…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I understand,” Crowtail reassured. “I do too, but our clans need us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know, but-" a familiar scent cut off Squirrelflight. Both cats stared at each other before leaving their hiding place and dashing after it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Midnight! What are you doing here?" Crowtail asked the badger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No time must get others. Badgers plan on attacking. I feel ashamed for my kind,” Midnight said, sorrow obvious in her eyes. “They think this only their place, don’t like new animals here. I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not your fault. I-I have to get back to ThunderClan, warn them! Crowtail?” Squirrelflight turned to her mate, who nodded. Midnight went off quickly to find Mistyfoot, Rowanclaw, and Tawnypelt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We don’t have much time!” Squirrelflight exclaimed after calling a meeting. “Badgers are coming! We have to get everyone-” deep growls and snarls cut her off. “Too late!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone moved quickly, putting thorns in front of the Elder’s den and nursery, through before they could close the nursery-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorreltail’s kits are coming!” Brighteye exclaimed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll grab Cloudfeather,” Brickfur promised, eyes wide and rushed off. Cloudfeather came several minutes later with herbs and a stick and entered the den, Brickfur covering the entrance, heart pounding. She turned to Daisy, who decided to stay outside of the nursery and defend them, who looked determined.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You took me and my kits in; the least I can do is defend them and the other queens.” Had been Daisy’s explanation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stay in there, you lot," Brokentail growled, shoving Mousefur and Goldenflower into the elder’s den and covering up. “Longtail, you sure about this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeas,” the blind tabby tom said. “Are you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Never sureer,” Brokentail said gravely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why can’t we fight?” Birchpaw could be heard as Whitepaw guided the tabby tom into the apprentice den.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’ll be plenty of fights, but this isn’t ours,” the older apprentice told him simply. “I certainly am not skilled enough to go against a badger, let alone you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You two ready?” Flamestar asked Bramblecalw and Squirrelflight, who both nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Midnight will help us and is warning the others,” Squirrelflight said. “I so happened to be hunting when she found me; I left the prey behind.” The ginger tabby nodded, glancing at the top of the gorge as the growls got louder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We don’t have much time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can’t hold them back on our own forever,” Brokentail huffed, pinning down another badger. “Squirrelflgiht mind sneaking out and seeing f you can't get us help?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will you be okay?” She asked, dodging another of the black and white beasts. Brokentail nodded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re getting dangerously close to the nursery and apprentice dens. Go!” Squirrelflgiht nodded, rushing off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloudfeather, for his part, was blocking out all the noise outside, focusing just on Sorreltail. Births were stressful enough without having to also deal with everything else going on outside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re doing good, Sorreltail, just a little more okay?” the white tom said as Brighteye helped lick the kits. She had been visiting the queens as the news came in and decided to stay to help Sorreltail and Cloudfeather. “Just focus on me and your kits. Nothing else.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just as the last one came in and the medicine cat started licking it, he flinched as the light started pouring into the medicine den. Except… Nothing happened. A loud screech then a yowl happened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was just silence after that, and the rest of the barrier came down, and there was Brickfur, bleeding, and panting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s over. How are Sorreltail and the kits?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have four healthy kits,” Cloudfetaher smiled as he and Brighteye got them all over to Sorreltail. “You can sit with her and name them; I have to help Fireglow check on everyone, get yourself checked over as well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh… About that…” Brickfur tried to block him, but Daisy limped over, bleeding heavily from several wounds, but shook her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, he needs to know, Brickfur.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Know what?” Cloudfeather asked, going past the two she-cats and freezing. Over the edge of the cliff was a dead badger… And a dead Fireglow. “No…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Squirrelflight panted, sitting with Flamestar as she waited for her leader to wake back up from her life losing. She looked over at Cloudfeather’s yowl of agony. Her heart clenched when she realized that amongst the injured and dead was Brokentail and Fireglow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Cloudfeather…” Squirrelflight mumbled as Flamestar came back, panting. She turned to her aunt, ears back. Oh Starclan, how was she going to break this news to Flamestar?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you two okay?” Nightcloud asked, going over to her friend.  Crowtail was not present, as he was needed to help defend WindClan, but Nightcloud showed up with the relief from WindClan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I lost a life,” Flamestar coughed up some strange, black liquid. “You're injured,  so go to Cloudfeather and Fireglow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fireglow is gone, Flamestar,” Nightcloud mumbled. Squirrelflight winced as Flamestar’s eyes filled with grief. Fireglow was the last of her leader's littermates.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I see… I need to talk to my son. Squirrelflight, send the injured to the medicine den, and help them best you can, please?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” Squirrelflight nodded, walking off quickly. Injuries were something she and the other journeying cats had all learned how to do, mainly out of necessity. She worked as quickly as possible, working on the most seriously injured first.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Help the others first,” Daisy said firmly. “I’ll be okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll bleed out before then,” Squirrelflgiht said firmly. “Clan blood doesn't matter, Daisy.” The pale ginger she-cat looked surprised but remained quiet as Squirrelflight helped her the best the deputy could.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Several minutes passed, and Cloudfeather joined her in helping cats. However, he seemed distracted, but Squirrelflight also felt like he needed to do something to distract herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks for the healing,” Nightcloud said softly after everyone was checked over and helped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll help you get the dead to WindClan. I’m so sorry for all of this,” Brambeclaw said, padding up. He had, blessedly, not been injured super badly. Nightcloud nodded, and Cloudfeather joined the rest of ThunderClan with Squirrelflight as the WindClan cats and Brambleclaw left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Cloudfeather… I'm so sorry," the young ginger she-cat said. "Losing both Fireglow and Brokentail…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I just need time," Cloudfeather mumbled. "We've all lost a lot in a short amount of time. More than some cats know."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What do you mean?" However, Squirrelflight's question went unanswered by the medicine cat. He just sighed and turned to the dead, grief evident. Flamestar padded over to them at that moment, brushing a tail across Cloudfeather's shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>ThunderClan lost a lot that day, but Squirrelflight just hoped it would be the end of all of their loss.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Book 6 Allegiances</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>ThunderClan</strong>
</p><p><em>Leader:</em> Flamestar- heavily scarred pale ginger tabby she-cat with white chest and paws</p><p><em>Deputy: </em>Squirrelflight- short-legged dark ginger she-cat with green eyes<br/>apprentice, Birchpaw</p><p><em>Medicine Cat: </em>Cloudfeather- long-haired white tom</p><p>
  <em>Warriors:</em>
</p><p>Ravenfeather- small, skinny black tom with a tiny dash on his chest and a white-tipped tail</p><p>Barley- black and white tom</p><p>Brackennose- golden-brown tabby tom</p><p>Sandstorm- pale ginger she-cat</p><p>Dustpelt- dark brown tabby tom</p><p>Brighteye- she-cat, white with ginger splotches</p><p>Thornclaw- golden brown tom</p><p>Silverstream- a pretty slender silver tabby<br/>apprentice, Whitepaw</p><p>Ferncloud-pale gray with darker flecks she-cat, pale green eyes</p><p>Ashfur-pale gray with darker flecks tom, dark blue eyes</p><p>Brambleclaw- dark brown tabby tom with patches of burn scars, amber eyes</p><p>Snowdrift- pure white tom, deaf</p><p>Grayclaw- solid gray tom</p><p>Stormcloud- dark gray tom</p><p>Scourge- small black tom with a white front paw</p><p>Bone- burley black and white tom</p><p>Brickfur- dark ginger she-cat</p><p>Spiderleg- long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes</p><p>Feathertail- soft-furred silver tabby she-cat with a plumy tail.</p><p>Cinderleg- dark gray she-cat</p><p>
  <em>Apprentices:</em>
</p><p>Whitepaw- white she-cat with green eyes</p><p>Birchpaw- light brown tabby tom</p><p>
  <em>Queens:</em>
</p><p>Sorreltail- calico she-cat with amber eyes</p><p>Daisy-she-cat with long creamy brown fur with a missing right ear</p><p>
  <em>Elders:</em>
</p><p>Goldenflower- pale ginger she-cat</p><p>Frostfur- beautiful white coat and blue eyes</p><p>Longtail- pale tabby tom with dark black stripes, blind due to injury</p><p>Mousefur- small dusky brown she-cat<br/><br/></p><p>
  <strong>ShadowClan</strong>
</p><p><em>Leader: </em>Blackstar—large white tom with huge jet-black paws</p><p><em>Deputy: </em>Russetfur-dark ginger she-cat</p><p><em>Medicine Cat: </em>Littlecloud- very small tabby tom</p><p>
  <em>Warriors:</em>
</p><p>Oakfur-small brown tom<br/>apprentice, Smokepaw</p><p>Tawnypelt-tortoiseshell she-cat, green eyes</p><p>Rowanclaw- ginger she-cat</p><p>
  <em>Queens:</em>
</p><p>Tallpoppy- long-legged light brown tabby she-cat</p><p>
  <em>Elders:</em>
</p><p>Talonpaw- heavily scarred dark gray tom</p><p>Boulder- skinny silver tabby tom</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>WindClan</strong>
</p><p><em>Leader: </em>Deadstar- a black tom with a twisted paw</p><p><em>Deputy: </em>Crowtail- dark black tom</p><p><em>Medicine Cat: </em>Barkface-a short-tailed brown tom</p><p><em>Medicine Cat Apprentice: </em>Leafpool-light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes and white paws</p><p>
  <em>Warriors:</em>
</p><p>Webfoot- dark gray tabby tom</p><p>Onewhisker- brown tabby tom</p><p>Nightcloud- black she-cat with dark gray patches</p><p>Weaselfur- ginger tom with white paws</p><p>
  <em>Queens:</em>
</p><p>Whitetail- small white she-cat</p><p>
  <em>Elders:</em>
</p><p>Morningflower- tortoiseshell queen</p><p>Rushtail - light brown tom</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>RiverClan</strong>
</p><p><em>Leader: </em>Leopardstar- unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat</p><p><em>Deputy: </em>Mistyfoot- dark gray she-cat with blue eyes</p><p><em>Medicine Cat: </em>Mothwing- cream she-cat with a pale ginger lynx point pattern</p><p>
  <em>Medicine Cat Apprentice: Willowpaw-small pale gray tbaby she-cat</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Warriors:</em>
</p><p>Blackclaw-smoky black tom<br/>apprentice, Beechpaw</p><p>Hawkfrost- brown tom with black lynx point pattern</p><p>Voletooth- small brown tabby tom</p><p>Swallowtail- dark tabby she-cat</p><p>Reedwhisker- black tom<br/>apprentice, Ripplepaw</p><p>Sasha-sleek-furred, tawny-colored she-cat with blue eyes and a dark tail and ears</p><p>
  <em>Queens:</em>
</p><p>Dawnflower- pale gray she-cat</p><p>Mosspelt- tortoiseshell she-cat</p><p>
  <em>Elders:</em>
</p><p>Heavystep- thickset tabby tom</p><p>Ivytail- brown tabby she-cat</p><p>
  <strong>Cats outside the clans</strong>
</p><p>Smoky-muscular gray and white tom who lives in a barn near the horseplace </p><p>Floss-small gray and white she-cat who lives with Smoky and Daisy</p><p>
  <strong>Other Animals</strong>
</p><p>Pip- black and white terrier who lives with Twolegs near the horseplace </p><p>Midnight- a star-gazing badger who lives by the sea</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Book 6 Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“That solves the problem on what to do with the traps, at least,” Squirrelflgiht said as she looked at the snapped twig. She had just used it to spring the trap, she, Brambleclaw, Dustpelt, and Feathertail being on a dawn patrol.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’ll certainly help,” Diustpelt mused. “I know Flamestar already said apprentices wouldn’t be out without their mentor but… Well…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“While we have a good solution, they should still only go out with their mentors until we know it’s fully safe,” the silver tabby added. Squirrelflgiht nodded and shook her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s check the borders and report back to camp.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was only the next day, and Squirrelflgiht still felt the deep emotional wound of sitting vigil for her uncle. However, patrols couldn't wait, so she grabbed three cats to check the borders and report back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was so hard to even think about the fact that they had lost not only Brokentail, a long time elder, but their oldest medicine cat, Fireglow, as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cats of ThunderClan!” Squirrelflight called out. “We have an update on the traps! If you put twigs into them, it’ll spring the trap harmlessly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Traps?” Daisy asked curiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s been traps showing up around the territories the past moon,” Brighteye explained to her. “Twolegs set them up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah… Foxes must be bothering their chickens again,” Daisy said. “Twolegs at the farm keep these really fluffy white birds they call chickens, but foxes like to hunt and eat them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“ThunderClan has been lucky,” Brighteye nodded, “We have a lot less of them compared to other clans.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The meeting was quickly dismissed, and Squirrelflgiht frowned as Flamestar approached Cloudfeather.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I go hunt?” the heavily scarred leader asked. Cloudfetaher frowned and checked her over before sighing and nodding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine, but if you open up your wounds again, I’m keeping you in camp for a quarter moon,” Cloudfeather warned. “Take a cat with you. I suggest Sandstorm.” Flamestar nodded, going over to the pale ginger she-cat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Brambleclaw groaned and shook out his pelt, smiling as he watched Brichpaw excitedly dashed over to Squirrelflight. It had been a quarter moon, and ThunderClan was slowly recovering from the badger attack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ashfur, you okay?” Brambleclaw frowned when the gray tom limped past him, a rather worrying bleeding injury on his shoulder. “Should I get Cloudfeather?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine; I probably just reopened it or something,” Ashfur snapped, stomping out of the den.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Brambleclaw linked at the rather odd reaction but shook his head. He padded down the ledge of the gorge and to the center of the camp. Daisy’s kits were running around, causing a ruckus, being watched by Brighteye as Cloudfeather looked over the rather severe wound on Daisy’s head. She had lost her right ear, and the injury went from thee, down the side of her head, and ending at her chin. It was barely a mouse tail away from her eye. Squirrelflight was also talking to the dawn patrol and organizing the other patrols for the day, Birchpaw, her apprentice, by the ginger she-cat’s side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anything I can help with?” the brown tabby asked, approaching ThunderClan’s deputy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, thank you,” Squirrelflight said, relieved. “Can you get a hunting patrol together? Keep a lookout for more fox traps as well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” Brambleclaw purred. “Are you planning on training Birchpaw today?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Cloudfeather just cleared him for light duties,” Squirrelflight mused. “We’re having a joint training session with Silverstream and Whitepaw after I organize patrols.” The scarred tom nodded and smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll take Brickfur, Flamestar, and Stormcloud out for my patrol then.” Brickfur had been hovering a lot by the nursery since her and Sorreltail’s kits, Honeykit, Cinderkit, Molekit, and Poppykit, born. Flamestar had been in a funk since both losing her brother and a life, and Brambleclaw would be lying if he wasn’t a little worried for his leader. She had lost two of her brothers, both Fireglow and Brambleclaw’s former mentor Thistleheart, in a concise amount of time. They had been the last of Flamestar’s siblings to be alive, as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds good; I’ll make a note not to send them on another patrol,” Squirrelflight smiled. “Thank you, Brambleclaw.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you seen Berrykit?” Daisy asked, dashing over to Brambleclalw and his patrol with Spiderleg and Brackennose. “He’s nowhere to be found!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Brickfur’s eye widened. “He’s gone?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll take our catches back later,” Flamestar said, quickly burying the sparrow she just caught. “Let’s check everywhere; see if we can’t find him. We don’t have time to lose!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Brambleclaw caught the cream-colored tom-kit’s scent not long after, following it to the ShadowClan border, where Tawnypelt and two of her clanmates were trying to help a struggling Berrykit out of a fox trap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Berrykit!” Brambleclaw rushed over. “We’ll get you out of this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ve been trying for several minutes. We’re not sure we can get him out,” Tawnypelt said, then turned to the other two. “Smokepaw, Oakfur, can you go get Littlecloud?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course!” Smokepaw said, the apprentice and warrior rushing off as the two siblings did their best.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It hurts,” Berrykit whined, trying his best not to panic and struggle. “Brambleclaw, get me out! It hurts!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know Berrykit,” Brambleclaw soothed as Daisy, and the other ThunderClan cats came over. “We'll get you out of this.” Secretly, however, Brambleclaw wasn’t sure they even could. There was no give, and Berrykit’s tail was partially torn through.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Out of the way!” Littlecloud demanded, Tawnypelt and Brambleclaw jumping back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He's my son! How can I help?” Daisy asked. Littlecloud eyed her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keep him as calm as possible, what I’m about to do is going to hurt, but he’s lucky it’s his tail and not any other body part.” Daisy nodded in understanding, doing her best to keep Berrykit calme as Littlecloud bit through the part of his tail that kept Berrykit trapped as quickly as he could, considering the angle and how little room the medicine cat had to work with.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will he be okay?” Daisy asked, licking her son frantically once he was freed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“His balance may be a bit off as he gets used to the lack of a tail,” Littlecloud said. “But he should be fine. We had a couple of  cats get stuck as well, and unfortunately, we haven’t found any other way to get them out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Using twigs and branches to activate the traps helps make them useless, “Flamestar said. “And you can dig them up after without fear of them harming cats.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll let Blackstar know, thank you,” Littlecloud said with a nod. “Get Berrykit to Cloudfeather and Fireglow as fast as possible.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fireglow is dead,” Brambleclaw murmured as he and the other ThunderClan cats left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cloudfeather sighed as he patched Berrykit’s tail up the best he could. He stopped the bleeding, but there wasn’t much else he could do with so much of his tail missing. The fluffy white tom had managed to convince Daisy to head back to the nursery and stay with the other kits, but just barely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How is he?” Cloudfeather turned to see Brambleclaw and sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Could be worse, but he was bleeding a lot and is missing most of his tail.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorreltail is beyond distraught,” the heavily scarred warrior admitted. “She feels so bad that he escaped her notice. Brighteye too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Brighteye is also half-blind,” Cloudfeather snorted. “But it’s not their fault; none of this is.” Brambleclaw nodded and left the medicine cat to do his work. The brown tabby admittedly wished he knew how to console the now-only medicine cat of ThunderClan, but he also knew space was sometimes the best thing to give a cat.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Book 6 Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“I’m sorry to hear about Fireglow,” Barkface said, “He was a truly talented medicine cat.” It was the next half-moon, and Coudfeather had just told the others about Fireglow’s death.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leafpool froze, eyes wide.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“M-my uncle is dead?” she asked weakly. Cloudfeather nodded, eyes full of grief. “I… Oh, StarClan…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That awful," Barkface said. "I'm so sorry. He was an amazing medicine cat and friend."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He was," Cloudfeather sighed. "Let's just speak with StarClan."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're both here?" Goldenflower asked, looking over at her kits. The other elders had left the den to give the family privacy. "Good… There's so much I have to tell you, now that I'm at the end of my life. Oh, don't be sad, dear; we all knew it would happen."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ma…" Tawnypelt murmured. The golden she-cat chuckled and shook her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I love both of you so much. Tigerclaw had too, even if he wasn't your father by blood."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Brambleclaw's eyes widened. Glancing at his sister, her eyes were equally as wide. Goldenflower chuckled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Your father was a loner I met. Such a lovely tom… Tigerclaw had fallen in love with a loner as well, so he and I agreed he'd help raise you. He loved you two with all his heart, and I'm sorry for never telling you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Goldenflower was buried two days later, at dawn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Brambleclaw, can I talk to you real fast? Alone?" The ThunderClan deputy asked nervously as she approached him later that day. "Please?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Of course," Brambleclaw said, following her out of the camp. He figured that the ginger she-cat just wanted to help council him since Goldenflower had been buried that morning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wasn't prepared for what she told him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"... Repeat that?" Branmbleclaw gaped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm pregnant. I already told Crowtail I just…" Squirrelflight took a shaky breath. "Oh, StarClan."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We'll figure it out. All of ThunderClan 'knows' we're mates, so they'll assume they're mine," Brambleclaw reminded her. "We'll figure it all out, okay? Take deep breaths for me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Right. You're right." Squirrelflight took several deep breaths. "I'm okay now. Thank you. I'm sorry I'm freaking out so badly."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's perfectly okay," the bulky tabby tom reassured. "You're scared and freaking out and pregnant, Squirrelflight."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I still don’t feel like I’m fair to you,” she admitted quietly. She looked away, tail wrapping around her abdomen. All of this, keeping her and Crowtail a secret, playing the deputy’s mate in ThunderClan, and going out with her on Squirrelflight could see Crowtail without being suspicious, even already accepting a foster father role for her kits, it was…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Squirrelflight, I’m benefitting from this too,” Brambleclaw reassured. “It keeps cats off my back to find a mate and kits, and I’d rather my ‘mate’ be a good friend than a stranger. I’m more than okay with this, and I never saw myself ever have a mate and kits of my own, but I assure you, I will love and dote on these.” Granted, it helped Brambleclaw see himself as more the helpful and dotting uncle than the kits’ father. Squirrelflight relaxed and nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Since there wasn't anything more for the two to say, they headed back to camp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hawkfrost gasped as he woke from his dark dream, heart pounding. Ashfur surely wasn’t that stupid! Whatever Deep Lake promised him, it wasn’t worth it, not anymore. Without a moment's hesitation, Hawkfrost dashed out of RiverClan camp, ignoring the startled call of his sister as he ran past the RiverClan medicine cat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t have time to worry about anything but getting to ThunderClan as soon as possible. The RiverClan warrior kicked dup a lot of sand as he rushed across the sandy beach around the lake that the clans long ago decided was also neutral ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stopped, panting, then froze once he fully took in the sight that was just a tail-length away. There, with blood gushing out of his neck and the part of a fox trap that was usually in the ground sticking out of his throat, was Brambleclaw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What… No… He… He…” Hawkfrost went over, inspecting the barely alive ThunderClan warrior.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“G-go,” Brambleclaw couched weakly. “Just your scent here will make my clanmates blame this on you…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can't just leave you here!” Hawkfrost insisted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hawkfrost… You need to run, run as far away as you can from the lake and run some more, Ashfur knows you’ll come, and whatever he promised you, or you w-were promised, he was always going to blame you for this and take the glory for himself.” Brambleclaw coughed up more blood.  “Go! Now!” With that, Brambleclaw used the last of his strength dn collapsed, lifeless.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The RiverClan warrior’s heart pounded, and he could barely hear the ThunderClan patrol coming his way. Quickly, he darted away and to the trees, rushing through ThunderCLan territory with little care with the noise he was making. He thought of Ashfur, of the training they had received from Deep Lake, and it twisted something in him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He let this happen, but Hawkfrost wasn’t going to let something like this happen to another good cat again. His brother sacrificed his life for the clans, and Hawkfrost knew that even if he were leaving now, even if he didn’t stop Ashfur from trying to kill a cat, he would protect any cat in trouble.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that's the end of The Next Generation!</p><p>I plan to Write SkyClan's Rebirth next, and have a bit of a different structure for it ;) after that I am thinking of doing another super edition before going into Power Beyond the Stars</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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